Life Choices
by Cloud-Dreamer
Summary: Ranma's sense of self is damaged and SHE goes on a trip of discovery to learn about who she is and how does gender affect that. Akane does some growing as well but will it be enough. Very old incomplete story unlikely to ever be completed.


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Ranma fanfiction

When my kids first introduced me to Ranma, I was very enthusiastic and wrote this bit of fan fiction in 1998 to express my appreciation for Rumiko Takahashi's creative genius. However, as I haven't added to it since January 1999, I doubt that I will finish it. I plotted out the first 7 chapters [see end of document] but wrote only chapter 1 and much of chapter 2.

This was the first story I had written in over 30 years so it is a bit rough but I had fun with it.

Cloud-Dreamer

Disclaimer: Ranma and all associated characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to the 'Ranma-universe' idea.

.o0o. .o0o.

Life Choices by Cloud Dreamer

.o0o. .o0o.

The Tendo dojo was shadowed by the morning sunlight as a panda struggled out of the koi pond Genma had tripped into. However, this respite of quiet did not last long.

"RANMA YOU PERVERT!" Akane yelled as she sent Ranma sailing into the air off the end of her foot.

"What'd I do?" Ranma gasped mid-flight though still half-asleep. The house quivered as he impacted the far wall of his room.

In the bathroom a bit later Ranma yelled, "oh noooo!' in a sweet feminine voice as the shower unexpectedly produced cool water instead of hot, and the slight but muscular young man with a long, dark braid abruptly changed form into a younger and smaller Chinese girl. This redheaded girl was Ranma-chan, the result of a chance encounter with a 'cursed' spring. The curse was the bane of Ranma's young life. Turning off the cool shower, Ranma tested the tub and breathed a sigh of relief upon finding the water still hot. Ranma sank into the hot water and once again became a guy.

Kasumi, Akane's lovely but absentminded oldest sister, called to Ranma from the kitchen. "Ranma, please hurry, you are the last one to eat." Ranma stopped in the room he shared with his father Genma to get a shirt. The flash from Nabiki's camera blinded him as he opened the door.

Nabiki was Akane's older sister, a very enterprising girl. "Yes", she said with glee, "I can get a 1000yen from Kodachi for this photo!" Ranma started to protest but she was already gone.

Ranma descended the stairs and stood just beyond the outside doors. His strength was evident as he stretched in obvious enjoyment of the morning sunlight in his face. Ranma looked up at the bedroom window where his pretty fiancé, Akane could be seen. He said to himself in half surprise, "_how can she look so cute?_" as the morning breeze brushed her short black hair away from her face.

As he sat down to breakfast in the patched but brightly decorated room, he cautiously whispered to his father, "hey Pop, who cooked breakfast?"

Akane answered "I did you idiot!" and smashed his face into the table, scattering the food everywhere. He silently concluded that he had gotten off lightly; at least now he wouldn't have to eat anything.

Ranma recovered and looked sourly over at his and Akane's fathers. He thought rebelliously to himself "_why did they have to go and engage us without even asking us first? This just isn't ever going to work. She was just soooo uncute."_

Ranma tossed a biscuit to Genma and said, "here old man, sharpen your teeth on Akane's cooking. I'm going to see Ukyou's new kitchen and maybe get some real food."

Akane yelled, "fine then, see if I care, Ranma!" as she punted him on his way.

Ranma quickly found Ukyou's new place by following his nose to her wonderful stove. She was busy cooking but gave him a quick welcoming smile, "hi, Ranchan. What do you think of my new place? Hungry?"

Ranma watched Ukyou as he waited for her to take a break. Ukyou was easy to watch. Now that she no longer wore boy's clothes, her real beauty was starting to show through. Ranma had been friends with her since they were six, but he didn't find out till recently that she was a girl. She was one of the few that knew his secret at first, but she thought it to be 'cute' instead of a curse. Now that nearly everyone knew, it was definitely a curse as far as Ranma was concerned.

"I'm always hungry for your cooking, Ucchan, but maybe we could eat together?" he answered.

She squealed gleefully, "yesssss!" and shortly he was eating lunch with Ukyou, free as he had hoped.

"Man this is the greatest!" he complimented Ukyou and then the lights went out.

Ranma awakened in the ruins of Ukyo's kitchen just in time to hear Ukyou ask Akane "Do you really hate him that much?"

Akane yelled back "I do not ever want to see Ranma again" and stalked angrily away.

Ukyou looked down at her prostrate friend and asked with quiet concern and puzzlement; "Why Ranma? Why DO you put up with her? Is it for the Dojo?"

Ranma smiled sheepishly as he replied "She may be angry and uncute, but she is my fiancé, besides . . . " he blushed as he was unable to continue.

Ukyou guessed the rest of the sentence and gazed uneasily around the wrecked room to avoid meeting his eyes. She murmured "Well, I guess I had better start cleaning up." Ranma helped, and they laughed as they worked together, but she noticed that he seemed to get quieter, more alone as they neared the end of the task. She looked quizzically at him and asked, "how is it that you understand girls so poorly, 'half-girl'?"

He shrugged and replied, "maybe it's because I AM half a girl, sometimes I'm no longer sure that I am completely a guy anymore. It gets confusing. Of course, growing up on the training trail with just dad for company for all those years didn't help either."

"Ranma, I think I understand" Ukyou said. "All those years that I masqueraded as a boy really gave me some insight into how guys think. But with you it's different, you really do become a girl, at least on the outside."

Ranma heatedly replied, "but I'm a guy, I don't want to know how girls think!"

Instead of attacking him for this implied gender insult, Ukyou cocked her head at him with a puzzled look on her face. "So what else is new, sugar? Why do you think Akane smacks you so often?" Then she continued, "Ranchan, you're a martial artist and this attitude of yours just doesn't make sense. By not knowing yourself as a girl, you're deliberately crippling yourself half the time."

Ranma weakly muttered, "but I'm a guy, a guy, well, at least most of the time and I can fight pretty well as a girl too!"

"Yeah, but if you knew how a girl fought, maybe you'd do even better?" Ukyou questioned.

It was soon time for him to go. As he looked off toward where the Tendö Dojo lay, she noticed that his shoulders sagged further. She put her hand on his arm and his head turned and he looked cautiously into her eyes. She sighed, "Oh how I wish you could stay, I hate to see your heart breaking before me."

Ranma half turned toward her. "Ukyou, sometimes I wish you. . . " he drifted to a stop, unable to continue. "I'm so glad that I have a best friend like you," he added softly.

She gently pushed him out the door, "As a friend, this is one problem that I can't help you solve" she quietly said. She added ambiguously as he left, "with all my heart I wish I could though."

"Ukyou, what are you going to do now?" Ranma asked as he waved a hand toward the clean but ruined shop.

Ukyou bit her lower lip in pensive thought before replying, "Ranma, my folks have been after me to come see them. Maybe I'll just take a break and do that until I'm ready to come back and start again. OK?" she asked wistfully.

"I'm sorry" Ranma said quietly and then added ruefully "especially if I have to eat Akane's cooking." As he dodged her spatula, he added "I hope you have a good time at home, bye Ucchan."

As Ranma entered the Tendö training hall, he saw Akane standing amid a pile of broken bricks. He noticed she was in her gig, flushed from exertion and with her hair in disarray. He was shocked to think, '_she almost looks cute again_!' He grinned sheepishly at her and said "hi".

She rounded on him in a fury, "and just where have you been?"

Ranma backed up, a startled expression on his face. "Helping Ukyou fix up the mess YOU made".

"It was all your fault!" She yelled as she tossed him into the fish pond.

Ranma-chan sat in the pool awhile. _'Why do I endure this? Hummm . . . why ?_ She asked herself as she slowly thought about the whole day. She mulled over Ukyou's comments, and she thought about tomorrow and the next day. She slowly realized what her two choices were. '_To do nothing was easy but painful. But change something? Now that was scary, a different kind of pain, the outcome was, well, maybe something better, hopefully no worse_.' Her whole body sagged further into the water as she made her choice.

At that moment Kasumi came out and eagerly said to Ranma-chan. "Hurry up, get dried off and dressed, we're all going to the fair! Lunch is going to be ramen and cotton-candy!"

Ranma wearily replied, "Please don't wait for me, I need to soak a little bit." She added, "I'll meet you there after I get ready." Little did they know how long that would be.

Ranma climbed upstairs and watched them leave. Akane looked back, she noticed. With a heavy heart, she got her backpack and carefully packed it. In Nabiki's lessened stash of cash, she left a note, 'Ranma's modeling services, Payment Received'. "It shouldn't be hard for her to figure that out," Ranma murmured to herself.

With her backpack and in her usual red Chinese outfit, she left the house without looking back. It was threatening to rain. "It's a good thing I stayed a girl" she muttered to herself.

Genma and the Tendös returned from the fair later that evening. Of Ranma, all they found was a note on his futon that read 'GOODBYE' in large letters, followed by two more lines. The next line was smaller and it also said only 'Goodbye', the last line was smallest and said 'goodbye Ranma'. It was as if he had yelled it, said it and then whispered goodbye.

The house was in an uproar! The fathers were weeping into their sake, Tendö because he had no male heir now, Genma because he might have to go home to his wife Nodako whom he had been avoiding for years. Nabiki was too embarrassed to mention her cash loss because she had figured out the note's meaning, so she and Kasumi both rounded on Akane because of the way she had been treating Ranma lately. Akane was fuming but helpless to vent it.

Ranma made her way to the train station. The drizzling rain was cool and she shivered slightly. She looked over the posters and advertisements as she pondered her destination. "Darn, there just has to be someplace that I can train as a girl without being interrupted by finance's or such!"

She read a small flyer that announced a martial arts tournament. Hope shone in her eyes as she read the grand prize. With a sudden smile, she came to a decision and pocketed the flyer as she made her way to the ticket booth.

The train ride was long, and several times Ranma waited in a station for hours for the next connecting train. Dawn was breaking as she stepped out of the last train station. She looked about her, reread the flyer and decided she couldn't afford a taxi. So she trudged off into the city, found the arena and paid her entrance fee.

Ranma made camp in a secluded spot in the center of a nearby park. As she ate her campfire breakfast, she murmured to herself, "well, it is better than Akane's, even if it was just over a campfire".

As her first trial was that evening, she slept herself out and even had time for a light meal before it was match time. The first combat was simple, she flipped over the head of the opposing girl and lightly tapped her between the shoulders. Two other moves as simple, and the girl was defeated.

The next two matches were only a bit harder, and then she had to work slightly to win her fourth and last match of the day. The second day was similar and at the end of that day's matches she had moved into the semifinals.

She was paired against the defending champion in the final match on the third day. Both look warily at the other when the announcer called their names as they came to the center mat.

"In this corner, the defending champion from the Tanaka Dojo; Michiko Tanaka. The challenger from the 'No-name' Dojo, Ranko Tendö". Ranma looked a bit startled to hear her chosen name publicly announced, but she came to the mat, bowed to the judges and waited for the match to begin.

Michiko seemed a little older than Ranko. She was taller too, and wore her long brown hair in two buns over her ears. It framed a face made prettier by laughter lines. She was good, very good, but Ranko used her speed to gently defeat her in three straight sets without having to use special techniques like her 'roasting chestnuts' or 'chi blast' attacks.

When it was over, Michiko surprised her by giving her a hug. "Oh, I wish I could have beaten you, but maybe you can teach me some of your moves?"

Ranko, unnerved, responded "Ugh, yeah, sure."

She was still a bit dazed as she was escorted to the winner's platform. The cheering muted as she was announced as winner and given the grand prize of cash and a year's free training, room and board at the sponsoring Dojo.

The award was made by the sensei of that Dojo, Kenji Tanaka, a middle-aged man with a shock of white hair. He was dressed in a dark gig and he looked friendly and confident. It startled Ranko to see her recent opponent at her father's side and to realize that she would be living with her for the next year. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire!" she grumbled to herself.

Kenji looked down at Ranko, "well, you are a little thing! But there is no denying you are one of the best martial artist I've seen recently." He looked around, "Is your family here?"

Ranko responded with head held low "I don't have any body who cares, just a few friends."

Kenji studied Ranko's face, noticing the fatigue and signs of stress. He doesn't press the matter further, but said "well, tell me where you are staying and we'll pick you up there."

He looked shocked when Ranko displayed her backpack and said "Nah, there's no need. I've been camping in the park and I have everything with me that I need."

The Tanakas had brought a small bus to the arena as their Dojo had sponsored several competitors in the tournament. Ranko set her backpack in the back of the bus and prepared to doze off. But it was not to be. The other girls clustered around her and pressed her with questions and generally made her feel very welcome.

The trip to the Dojo was not long, and after a quiet meal with the Tanakas', Ranko was shown the room she would share with Michiko for the night. Ranko was visibly tired and nervous as Michiko prepared for bed.

Michiko looked at Ranko and guessed "You've been alone a lot, haven't you?"

Ranko saw the honest concern in Michiko's eyes and responded to it, "Yeah, sorta, my dad and I went on long training trips together. We rarely stayed anywhere long enough for me to make many friends and I barely remember my mother." A look of wistfullness crossed her face. "I wonder what it would be like to be part of a family instead of just living for martial arts. Oh, I just get so tired of it all!" she abruptly exclaimed.

Michiko grinned, "I think I know what you mean. I have some friends who are so focused on either their academics or music that their whole life seems to revolve about it. They are alive but not really living" she pronounced profoundly.

Ranko laughs, "yeah, I've seen that type too. With martial arts it really isn't as bad as that. To fight well you have to know how to study people and I'm very good at that. But, when it comes to making friends or being a friend, I just don't know how." Ranma seemed startled by what she had just said. Her face went blank and she whispered, "I do know how to beat them, insult or hurt them though" then unexpectedly she broke down in tears as the stress and fatigue finally collapsed her control.

Michiko quickly held Ranko close as she cried. She heard Ranko apologize through her tears, "I'm sorry, I've never cried like this before, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just felt so alone all of a sudden."

Michiko held her at arm's length and looked in wonder at her, "never cried before? But all girls cry sometime."

Ranko shrank down "I don't know much about being a girl" she whispered.

Michiko looked at her quizzically for a moment, then she giggled "I'll make a deal with you. You teach me to be a better martial artist and I'll teach you how to be girl."

Ranko looked up in sudden hope "really, I mean you won't be afraid that I'll embarrass you?' And thus began a long and wholesome friendship. One filled with tribulations and sorrows true, but much self discovery as well.

There were some rough spots though. The next morning Michiko suggested, "Ranko, let's take a hot bath together and wash off the tournament stench."

She was puzzled by Ranko's response, "OH NO, I can't ever take more than a lukewarm bath because, because, I uh, I have a bad reaction to hot water." Michiko left it at that but did wonder about it.

Later as they ate breakfast, Michiko asked, "Ranko, what is it you want out of daddy's school?"

Tanaka-san seems oblivious but Ranko noticed that his eyes no longer seem to be scanning the paper he was reading.

"My dad" Ranko began "taught me how to fight as a boy, but that seems to rely more on the strength that I don't have and less on the speed that I do have." She grimaced, "If there is any difference, then I want to learn how to fight as a girl martial artist."

Tanaka-san nodded approvingly, but Michiko continues "is that all? There is nothing else that is important to you?"

Her father cast a curious glance at her, but Ranko colored and said quietly "well, there is more but, well, we did, maybe talk about it last night?"

Michiko studied the small lonely girl. "Ranko, would you do me a favor please? Let's brush your hair out. I want to see if it looks better loose or in two side ponytails instead of in a braided pigtail."

"Michiko," began her father "she knows how she wants to wear her hair. Now don't start making her over."

Michiko turned to her father, "papa-san, this is the other thing that Ranko asks of us. She wants to know how to be a girl instead of just a female martial artist. Papa-san, can she live with us instead of in the dorms? Please, she's so lonely and I would like to be her friend."

Tanaka-san was surprised. He quickly glanced at Ranko and caught the surprise on her face as she flushed nearly the color of her hair in embarrassment. This obviously wasn't her idea. He looked closer at Ranko and asked, "Ranko, just how old are you?"

Ranko hung her head in confusion, 'he' was nearly seventeen, but Dr. Tofu had said that Ranko's body was apparently about 14. "I'm almost sixteen" Ranko answered, "but I'm small for my age."

"Almost 16 means that you are only 15 right now" Tanaka-san concluded. "We really should have your parents' or guardian's permission for you to attend the school."

"No, don't bother" stated Ranko lifelessly, "I'll just get my backpack and go."

"I thought so" replied Tanaka-san, "you ran away from home didn't you?"

Ranko nodded her head in assent and searched out the exits with her eyes. "I don't have anything against my folks, but they are part of the problem, not the solution."

"Very well," assented Tanaka-san, "you may live with us and maybe we can be your family instead." He looked her in the eyes, "I like you, girl; and so does my daughter. That's worth some risk."

The world dimmed around Ranko momentarily with shock. She heard Michiko's laughter as she hugged her father and it pulled her attention back to her surroundings. The colorful room was brightly lit by the morning sun slanting in the windows. Yet the people illuminated the room even more. Ranko watched father and daughter hug, both happy and it occurred to her, "_they've invited me to become part of this. A stranger, yet . . . yet I will not; I WILL NOT disappoint them! They are the teachers, I am the student. I must remember this._"

Ranko removed the 'dragon whisker' from her hair and loosened the braid. Ranko leaned back and shook her head slowly to spread her hair out behind her. It really made her look more feminine.

She heard a gasp of surprise from Michiko and smiled over at her "in the ways of being a girl, I am your student Michiko."

"Your hair is beautiful!" Michiko exclaimed. "Here, let's brush it out and then try the two ponytails also."

The two girls spent the day trying different styles and finally settled on a ponytail above each ear. Ranko packed the dragon whisker in her backpack.

There was more to clothes than Ranko thought. Undergarments for one thing.

Ranko absolutely refused to go shopping for underclothes at first. "NO, no way am I going to go to the store and try on clothes like that."

"Ranko" wheedled Michiko, "to be a girl, you can't be dressed in boy's clothes. Even if they don't show, you know they are there. It all contributes to the attitude or self image that you build up of yourself. Besides," she adds "your skin and body ARE different from a boys so boy's clothes won't fit quite right and your skin will appreciate the difference too."

"But, but, I don't even know what size" Ranko stuttered.

Michiko thought for a minute. "You know, I have some clothes I've outgrown and the school's lost and found has an assortment of sizes and styles. Let's experiment and see what fits and suits you."

Ranko's eyes closed in misery_, 'experiment! I'm Michiko's experiment, but I promised myself_' she thought.

The first time Ranko tried to put on a bra, Michiko ended up on the floor doubled up with laughter. "You try to put that on the same way a boy would try to take it off" she gasped. "Here, instead of putting it on and trying to hook it from behind, try putting it on around your waist but upside down and backwards instead. That way you can fasten the hooks in front, turn it around and then put your arms in the straps while you flip it up over yourself, see!"

Ranko was amazed at two things. One was how easily the bra went on that way and the other was how comfortable the bra was. "This 'thing' actually feels good to wear" she mumbled in surprise.

"Ranko" begins Michiko, "lots of people tease girls about being slaves to fashion. But there are many more girls who buy and wear clothes for comfort first." She adds, "now try the panties too."

Ranko performed a whole body blush as Michiko giggled at her but tried on several different styles (and sizes) of panties before deciding, "these, I like this style!"

Michiko nods, "me too, bikini briefs seem freer somehow. Almost naughty" she grinned.

Michiko frowned as she sized up Ranko, "you know, even though you are younger and smaller than me, I don't think any of my old dresses will fit you very well."

"DRESSES" blurted Ranko, "but I can't fight in a dress" she began before recalling that Akane did so fairly well. "OK, dresses" she sighed.

They try on a few old ones just to get an approximation for size and then go shopping. It's good that Tanaka-san had 'adopted' her 'cause Michiko spent money like it was free.

A few stores later, Michiko exasperatedly concluded, "Ranko, you have absolutely no sense of feminine style when it comes to dresses."

Ranko just grinned, "so tell me something that I don't know" and they both laughed.

As Ranko walked by the dress rack, one more caught her eye and she pulled it out. "Hey Michiko, what'd'ya think of this one?"

Michiko looked at the dress, it was American style, with short full sleeves and a full skirt in a soft gold color with scarlet trim. "Humm, I couldn't wear that style, but maybe you can. Why not try it on?"

When Ranko emerged, Michiko was speechless for so long that Ranko became nervous, "is it really that bad?" she asked.

Michiko shook her head no, "Ranko, you and the dress were made for each other. You are beautiful." She said it so quietly that Ranko could not doubt her sincerity.

The red Chinese outfit was retired at Michiko's insistence. Michiko taught Ranko about other clothes, though dresses are Michiko's favorite. Ranko initially resisted, but then suddenly seemed to embrace what Michiko was telling her. It was as if Ranko no longer listened to her old self in these areas but was content to learn and experience what Michiko had to teach her. Ranko listened, watched and observed. She was like an empty cup that Michiko was filling.

She actually began to enjoy going shopping with Michiko.

Michiko taught Ranko about girls, though she was puzzled at the depth of Ranko's ignorance. Not knowing makeup she could understand since she really didn't need it and dad's weren't likely to teach it either. But. . .

"Michiko?" Ranko woke her early one morning. "I don't feel good. And, and I'm . . . bleeding. What's wrong?" She asked.

Well, a few sanitary pads and an explanation solved that problem, but still . . . how was it that she didn't know about THAT?

Michiko got them excused from school the next morning with a few quiet words to her mother. Then she and Ranko talked about the emotional cycle all girls experience.

Ranko blurted, "you mean this will happen every MONTH! I felt so crabby last week and now I'm sorta depressed. No wonder guys don't understand girls."

And then there was the day of the pass . . .

Ranko and Michiko were walking down the street giggling together as they talked about the antics of some of their schoolmates. As they passed a small shop, a young man emerged and blocked their way. "Hey cutie, where ya off to?" As he slipped his arm around Ranko, she elbowed him in the gut and face punted him over the neighboring building. Her battle aura was blazing a boiling red and Michiko barely restrained her from following him to inflict more damage.

"NO Ranko, no" she begged, "please, that's enough" as she hung onto Ranko's arm.

Ranko's violent response to the first pass she received convinced the Tanakas' that she has come to them straight from a broken heart, so they protected her from guys in general. It was easy to do since the Tanaka Dojo was also a boarding school for girls that specialized in martial arts.

Michiko's mother Nada was also a martial artist of the school of "sensual combat" and had been teaching Michiko some of these secret skills. Michiko had begged her mother to also teach Ranko, but she doesn't agree until she saw the power of Ranko's battle aura after the incident of the pass. "Michiko, what in the world happened to Ranko? She's glowing hot enough to melt lead!"

Michiko worriedly replied, "some strange guy made a pass at her and she nearly killed him. Oh, mom, this isn't good! How are we going to protect Ranko" and she started crying.

Michiko's tears seemed to extinguish Ranko's battle aura. "Michiko, I'm sorry if I scared you . . . Michi, please stop crying, OK? It's alright now, I'm sorry" and Ranko hugged her.

Nada nodded in understanding, "Michiko, I will teach Ranko some special skills also."

That evening the three met privately in the family dojo. "Ranko, I could spend hours 'describing' the approach that my school uses, but a demonstration is both shorter and much more effective. Prepare to defend yourself!" With that both Nada and Ranko assumed defensive stances.

Nada seemed to flicker and suddenly Ranko was on the floor laughing. "NO, no, no quit tickling me, that's no fair."

Nada grinned down at Ranko, "in a manner of speaking, you will find that you 'enjoy' this combat."

Gasping for breath, Ranko asked "there are other techniques as well? How do you move so fast? It's almost as if you became invisible. But I know that can't be what's happening because you can't attack while invisible."

Nada nodded as she sat beside Ranko. "Yes, there are dozens of other techniques. Some stimulate one sense or another, others numb a sense. Many confuse either hearing or sight." She continued somewhat uncertainly "how was it that you know about the limitations of invisibility?"

"My father's Sensei uses the technique to spy into girls dressing rooms" she replied shortly as if a bad memory had been recalled.

Shocked, Nada replied, "yes, you do need these techniques if that was your home life." She continued, "you are right about the limitations on invisibility when it comes to actual physical attack, but it turns out that you can use your chi to affect an opponents nerves and actually remain almost invisible. You seem to flicker only at the moment of energy release." She grinned again, "he momentarily sees you but his body is betraying him and he can barely control it let alone mount an attack against you."

She sat back and was quiet until Ranko looked into her face. "Ranko, if I teach you these techniques, you must agree to two conditions. First, you will never teach them to a man, not even your son. Second, you will never use them in a fight against a woman unless the combat is mortal. Actually, there is a third condition as well. Don't use them in tournaments against men either as my school wants to keep the techniques existence secret as much as possible."

Ranko swallowed but saw that she had no choice but to either agree or reveal Ranma. She looked down and saw her answer as her bosom reminded her that she was a girl. "Yes Nada, I do swear to these three conditions."

Tanaka-sensei and Nada-sensei both trained Michiko and Ranko. As the two girls practiced more and more frequently, Ranko hesitantly began to also teach the other three some of her special moves. This trust on her part opened their hearts to her even further and she began to relax and live without fear or criticism.

Over the months, both girls became much better martial artists as each shared 'secrets' of their training halls with the other, and they practiced, and practiced. They became friends, Ranma's first friend who was not after something from 'him or her'. But Ranko had already learned something of friendship; Ukyou got letters.

.o0o. .o0o.

Driven by her conscious, Akane made her way to Ukyou's the next morning after Ranma had left. As she read the 'closed until further notice' sign, she said, "NO, no they couldn't have! They couldn't have, would they?"

Genma and the Tendo's fanned out through the city looking for the young couple Ukyou and Ranma but found neither of them.

The search for Ranma and Ukyou had failed. Akane and Genma had traveled to Ukyou's old home town a week after Ranma's disappearance but they discovered only that Ukyou had just left with a friend on a trip to China. Nobody knew the name of Ukyou's friend, but they did say that he was a strange acting boy.

Months went by at the Tendö training hall with no word of Ranma. Genma moved back with his wife but still came by often to play 'Go'. Shampoo was still in town but avoided the Tendo's. Surprisingly Ryuöga didn't show up at all.

Only Akane seemed to be affected by Ranma's absence. Sometimes she went to the balcony and looked into the evening sky and whispered "oh Ranma, why couldn't you just talk to me?"

About two months after Ukyou and Ranma's disappearance, Akane noticed that Ukyou's shop was open for business again. "And just what do you and Ranma think you were doing, running off like that and getting married" she stormed inches from Ukyou's face.

"I see we both have the same day dream, sugar" Ukyou smiled sweetly at Akane. "I wish it wasn't so, but I don't know where Ranma is either."

"B . . but you and your boyfriend when to China. Wasn't that Ranma?" Akane belatedly asked.

"No" Ukyou replied as she prepared another Okonomiyaki. "And Ryuöga isn't my boyfriend either."

Akane was startled "Ryuöga went with you? Where is he now?"

Ukyou laughed, "Honey, I bet that even he doesn't know where he is. He volunteered to be my guide when I went on vacation. But it wasn't until he got lost that I finally got to where I was going. What an experience!"

One day Akane noticed Ukyou in a park, smiling slightly as she read her mail. Curious, she walked closer and noticed that it was in Ranma's distinctive scrawl. "Why do you have a letter from HIM," she angrily demanded.

Ukyou calmly replied, "because I am his friend, his best friend."

Akane all but yelled, "but I am his fiancé!"

Ukyou looked over her shoulder as she started to walk away, "really? Most people around here think he is just your punching bag."

Akane was embarrassed to see a few heads nodding in agreement. She followed Ukyou and asked in a small voice, "is he OK?"

Ukyou looked at her and saw that she was really worried. She paused, "I knew that Ranma had courage, but it takes real guts to go and do what he has decided to try and do. I know, because I did it in a similar sort of way." She added, "I wish he loved me half as much as he seems to love you." She turned and left Akane standing there, dazed.

When Ranma had been gone about six months, Kasumi returned from visiting a sick friend in a distant city for a few days. She seemed unusually troubled but when Akane cornered her and asked "you seem so sad Kasumi, was your friend very sick?" Kasumi just shook her head and fled to her room.

With feelings of guilt, Akane followed Kasumi to her room and said with real concern in her voice, "I'm sorry, is there anything I can do? Did I say something wrong?"

Kasumi heard her sister's troubled voice and looked up. She replied "I'm not sad for my friend, she's OK, but I'm so worried about Ranma and you, but especially about Ranma."

With a totally shocked expression on her face, Akane slowly slid to the floor beside Kasumi. "You saw him!"

Kasumi slowly nodded, "sort of, he's OK and I even was able to talk with him for a little bit between trains." She continued, "You see, we met in the train station, I don't know from where he was coming or going and he wouldn't say."

Akane begged "Please tell me about him, did he say anything about me, did you say we missed him, that I was sorry and he should come home immediately." Abruptly she broke down in tears.

Kasumi apparently hasn't heard Akane as she continued in a sort of puzzled voice, "you know, Ranma-chan was wearing 'her' hair down and long. It really looked becoming with her dress."

Akane, frozen, stated, "Dress! Ranma's being a GIRL?"

Kasumi looked over at her and nodded, "Yes, she, I mean he, no she! She said it just seemed the only way to find out why you and he didn't get along. We talked for almost an hour. When I asked Ranma why she left, she said she just had to." Kasumi looked at her hands as they nervously clasped and unclasped in her lap. She continued, "When I asked 'Ranma, did you leave because of Akane.' She blushed, hung her head and nodded 'yes'."

Akane looked stricken and weakly struggled to her feet but Kasumi pulled her back down to her side and continued. "But then I asked him; 'do you really hate her?' Ranma said 'NO! I care for her. I just had to leave before she beat that out of me. I don't understand my feelings and I don't understand why she treats me the way she does. I can't go back until I am ready to face her honestly again'."

Akane mumbled hesitantly, "he said he cared for me? He's implied it but he's never actually said that to me or anyone else before."

Kasumi looked over at Akane, "Akane, do you remember how much Ranma hated being a girl?"

Akane numbly nodded.

Kasumi continued in a sort of musing manner, "Ranma must really care for you a lot to live for so long as a girl, just to try and understand you so 'he' can save his friendship for you."

It was too much for Akane, she fled sobbing to her room.

Kasumi sighed, but a weary smile crossed her face and she finally began to relax.

Later that evening, Akane, eyes red from weeping, stood on the balcony and yelled to the evening sky, "Ranma, just you wait, I'll teach you about women!"

Akane retrieved Kasumi's travel schedule and began to compare it with outgoing and incoming trains/destinations at the station where Kasumi met Ranma-chan. Soon she had a list of nearby cities where Ranma might be located. Nabiki became interested in the problem and started to fill in some of the business information for each city.

Several weeks later during school break, Akane was going over the notebooks, idly looking over Nabiki's input. She paused and looked closer at one entry. She murmured to herself, "he wouldn't, would he?"

The following morning, she announced that she was going on a short trip to do some shopping and visit a friend. No one particularly paid much attention except to wish her a good trip.

Since she has had a chance to plan the trip, she was able to get an express train and by mid-day she was standing outside the Tanaka Dojo and girls boarding school. She went to the front office and requested information on enrolling. She was shown the school and grounds, but the guide was apologetic that no students are there as it was school break.

As they near the Dojo, the guide demurred and said that the school sensei was practicing with his family and close friends and she dared not disturb them without cause. Akane asked if she could just peak in a window in the door. Hesitantly, the guide agreed. Akane looked in and saw Ranma-chan sitting quietly, watching intently as another girl was shown martial art moves by the sensei.

As they walked back to the office, Akane asked the guide, "that one girl had such unusual red hair, was she the sensei's daughter?'

The guide laughed and said, "Ah, he wishes. But she is a 'mystery' student. She won last year's martial arts competition and is now an honored guest student here for a year. She is the best girl martial arts student the sensei has ever had, but she teaches him as much as she is taught I think. She has become very close to the family. She was a little strange at first, but now she is really cute. I know lots of boys who want to meet her but the sensei has forbidden any of us to get her dates. He said she hasn't recovered enough from her broken heart."

Akane stumbles slightly at this barrage of information, "Does she have many friends then?"

The guide responded, "Oh yes, lots who want to be her friend and a few very close ones, like the sensei's daughter who was the previous champion. She didn't make many friends at first because she said so little, seemed to be so shy, unsure of what to do. But now she is full of life but gentle, always a kind word of encouragement for others. I tell you it's almost a miracle. It's almost as if she didn't know how to be a girl and had to learn it. But she learned very well and is very sweet."

Akane left with a handful of literature on the school. There were tears in her eyes and she whispered, "Oh Ranma, why couldn't you just learn to be a man, a gentle, kind man instead. That's all that was needed."

With the literature in hand, Akane set out to convince her father to let her go to the Tanaka Dojo and girls boarding school. She was not having much success until both Kasumi and Nabiki supported her. Neither asked why Akane wanted to go there but both guessed the reason and said nothing about it to their father or Akane.

Akane enrolled for the second semester of the school year and arrived at the school alone on the first day. She was anxious about meeting Ranma-chan but didn't see her for the first week. Then the school was called for a general assembly and the sensei was introduced to the students, most of whom already knew him. He looked around and said that it was his and the schools' goal to produce girls with the confidence to succeed, and part of that was learning martial arts. Each of the students would have evening classes each week to learn this skill. He then introduced the two advanced students who would be helping him with the classes, 'both are champions' he said proudly. The first was his daughter, Michiko Tanaka, the second was a guest student, Ranko Tendö.

Akane started as she heard Ranma-chan's chosen name_. 'He didn't just forget me completely'_ she thought to herself. Akane found her name on the class lists and was relieved to see that she would not be in one of the classes Ranko was helping with.

For a month she successfully blended into the crowds as she studied Ranko from a distance. She grew gradually more puzzled as there seemed to be so little of Ranma anymore. But her martial arts skill proved to be the undoing of her plans. She was called into a special training session for advanced students and met Ranko face to face in the hallway outside the Dojo.

Ranko's face showed a mixture of shock, resignation and fleetingly, something happy to see her. Akane held out her hand and said "Ranko Tendö, I'm so glad to finally meet you. I'm Akane Tendö, do you know if we are related?"

Ranko slowly shook Akane's hand. "It's OK then? Can we say we're cousins?"

Akane looked at her and responded without a smile, "I'm not sure it's OK, but I'm willing to wait and see since you are trying so hard at whatever you are doing." She added, "OK, cousins, but what do I say about your folks?"

Ranko looked up into her face and answered, "say what I say, which is nothing, I don't talk about them. It seems to work and I don't have to remember any lies." She looked at Akane and added "I came here to learn about this half of me, I don't want to be half this or that. Whichever I am, I don't want to be ashamed of it. Maybe that means I have to be all boy or all girl, for whatever part of the time for each. I don't know, but I'm trying to find out. This is part of me, I can't ignore it anymore."

They entered the Dojo and Ranko introduced her 'cousin'. This immediately opened doors for Akane and she was invited to use a small bedroom in the sensei's home. It also raised a lot of questions, some of which she simply avoided by saying, 'we don't talk about that anymore' when it concerned Ranko's family.

Ranko was hesitant around Akane at first and this caused the Tanaka's some concern since they remembered how 'troubled' Ranko was when she first arrived. But Akane remembered that she had 'intruded' into Ranko's world and forced herself to forget that this was Ranma-chan and simply concentrated on becoming a friend of Michiko and Ranko. Ranko's changed and feminine appearance helped with this; especially when Akane might have become jealous of Ranko's success as a girl.

Her effort was sincere and Ranko opened up slowly but trustingly. Michiko was amazed at this and told Akane, "Ranko must really like you." Fortunately, their different class schedules don't force Ranko and Akane together too much at first. So the old patterns didn't have a chance to surface again before new ways of interacting developed.

Soon the three girls became a close threesome, friends learning about each other and testing each other on the training mats. Akane's temper flared a few times, but sensei Tanaka came down hard on her for this and she began to learn to trace the cause and deal with it instead of wildly venting the resultant emotion.

Ranko was still taking 'classes' in being a girl and Akane had joined the teaching staff, though Ranko tended to ignore her unless Michiko agreed. One day, Michiko came to them with a problem. "Ranko, Akane; last year my aunt asked me find blind dates for her three sons for this year's school prom. I'm really having problems finding anybody willing to go out with my cousins. Do you think that maybe . . ."

"NO" blurted Ranko while Akane gasped and started to laugh. "No, not that, I couldn't!"

Michiko sighed, "I really hate to break my promise, but I guess it can't be helped."

"Promise?" Ranko asked. The word reminded her of something she had said to herself and Michiko.

"Yes," replied Michiko "but you know how it is. Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, there is no way to keep some promises. I should have never promised but I so wanted to help. They're nice boys, but a little immature. The oldest is my age, but it's the next two, twins, that cause the girls grief. They are such teases."

Ranko was thinking to herself 'and then there are the promises that one can keep if one chooses to do so.' Ranko sighed in disbelief at the situation she was getting into, but, "Michiko, if it's a promise, then I'll try to help."

Akane stared in shock at Ranko, but then began to nod to herself. "Well, if Ranko's in, then I'll take on the other twin."

Finding a prom dress for Ranko nearly drove Michiko and Akane nuts. Ranko really didn't have any fashion sense and would abruptly balk at the oddest points. But with careful coaching from Akane and Michiko, everything slowly worked out.

Nada took Ranko aside the evening of the Prom and looked her levelly in the eyes. "You are not leaving tonight unless you make me a promise."

Ranko swallowed and nodded slowly.

"Ranko" she began, "promise me that short of an outright attack on you or the other girls, you will not attack in any way any of the boys there at the Prom tonight. Your temper is strange, it almost seems to have, well, masculine, overtones and until I can solve it; I have to rely on your word and sense of honor to help control it. Promise me!"

Ranko's face drained of color and she stared into Nada's eyes, but saw no suspicion but only concern. She nodded and said "I promise sensei."

Ranko returned Nada's quick hug and it was soon time to go.

Ranko's education that evening began in a small restaurant where the three couples were having supper together. She noticed that Michiko seemed to have suddenly developed a mercurial temperament and even Akane was much more expressive than she had noticed before. She smiled shyly at her date and was startled at his fatuous grin. It was a clue and she momentarily ignored him to study the actions and responses of the other two couples. When she turned back, her date seems pensive and . . . something connected.

She gave him her attention and he began to actually babble. She grinned at him and the babbling stopped as a look of hope came onto his face. She sighed and the look became one of hopeful anticipation with a healthy dose of lust. This startled Ranko and she narrowed her eyes as his look changed to embarrassment.

About this time Akane lightly smacked her upside the head and whispered, "not so fast, give the poor sap some breathing room."

Ranko whispered back, "this is fun. How come I never noticed this before? I mean, I've played the 'cute' role before for extra food and to tease Ryouga, but this is different."

Akane grinned and whispered, "you weren't wearing the 'skirts' the other times; I mean you weren't really trying to understand what it meant to be girl."

Ranko smiled at him again until she heard Michiko whisper to Akane, "Ranko is such a flirt" and then giggle.

Ranko shook her head ruefully as she recalled times past when it was girls flirting with Ranma and how 'he' had babbled and blushed and . . . all the heck with it. This was really fun anyway.

The humor of the situation caused Ranko to relax even more and she actually danced and had a good time. Fortunately, her experience with Makado reminded her to keep her guard up and she avoided advances without rudeness or battle.

Toward the end of the school year, sensei Tanaka announced that it was time for the annual challenge match against a neighboring school in the same city. He sighed as he said "Maybe this year we will finally beat them".

The three girls signed up to participate in the match; they were the only ones to do so. Akane and Ranko are puzzled as other matches had drawn many other girls to complete. But Michiko explained, "this match is against the "Akira Dojo and BOYS boarding school. Sensei Akira has been loud and long in his complaints that martial arts training is wasted on girls and insists on these matches to prove it. My father cannot refuse the challenge though he dreads the match since it doesn't help the self confidence of the girls."

The match was held at the Tanaka Dojo this year and the Akira Dojo sent a team of three to 'demolish the pretences' of the female martial artists.

Each of the girls was to meet one of the boys in a singles match, followed by a team match which counted double. Three out of five match points won the contest. So far, the Tanaka Dojo had only won one point in all the previous contests. Michiko Tanaka beat her opponent last year but lost in the team match.

Michiko Tanaka was first up and using new skills learned from Ranko, she finally drop kicked her opponent through the door. But it was a close battle. Akane harnessed her temper and converted it to raw power to overpower her opponent and outdo him in his own strength. His defeat was humiliating to him and his sensei but exhilarating to Akane.

Sensei Akira was looking for an easy victory against Ranko as she was the smallest of the three girls. But Ranko demonstrated the 'roasting chestnuts' technique and pounded her opponent into a pulp very quickly.

Sensei Tanaka rose and said "the contest is over, We have won!"

Sensei Akira angrily intervened and reminded him "there is yet one more match scheduled." He then added "and we will win it to show just how badly these girls were cheating!"

As Sensei Tanaka's face flushed in anger, he replies "I will allow the match on one condition, when my girls kick your guys' butts, you will never again challenge this Dojo and NEVER again speak against girls receiving martial arts training."

Sensei Akira was momentarily put off by this challenge, but when he saw that sensei Tanaka would not bargain, he agreed.

Sensei Akira went to his team. He looked them over and huddled with them. "Do you all remember the secret techniques?" he asked.

They are surprised, "But sensei, you said those techniques were only for real battles, not matches and certainly not matches against girls" said the leader of the three.

Akira's face hardened, "This has become a battle, a battle for our schools' honor!"

The boys quickly agreed and began to discuss their plan of attack.

As the final match began, the girls had sparred together so much that they quickly scored several hits on the boys who appeared to be working more as individuals than as a team.

Sensei Tanaka grinned as Sensei Akira ground his teeth.

However, the boys had made a plan, which they executed. They suddenly cornered Michiko and with a quick chi blast from one and a paired special technique attack from the other two, they knocked her out. The shock of seeing this unwarranted battle attack caused the Dojo to become absolutely quiet. Then sensei Tanaka walked out onto the mat and picked up his daughter. He started to leave but she came to and begged him to stay and to let her stay. He was unwilling even as he ignored sensei Akira's crow of victory. But Akane and Ranma whispered into his ear. What he heard caused him to agree to stay and to allow the match to continue, but he would not let Michiko enter the ring again. (To Akane and Ranko's relief).

Akane and Ranko re-entered the ring and slowly circled the three boys. The two girls' faces are stony and the boys' bluster slowly died away as they realized that this was indeed a battle now and nothing would be held back against them.

Several lighting attacks later, the boys were bleeding and limping and very, very worried. Sensei Akira suddenly realized that the skills he was now seeing in these two girls were beyond what even he knew. He desperately called out "hey take it easy, this is just a fun match." But the laughter of the crowd caused him to realize just how little anyone cared about what he had to say.

Ranko and Akane herded the three boys onto one edge of the mat against an outside wall. Suddenly they joined hands and began to whirl, the poles of their joined chi sweeping up the loose energy from the crowd and sucking energy from the structure of the Dojo itself. Both sensei's started to rise to their feet with surprise and blurt "NO!". But it was too late! Ranko and Akane had created a "joined chi sweep" blast which was equal to more than three times what each could contribute by herself. Their huge six-fold blast enveloped the three boys and blew them unconscious out through the wall and onto the grounds outside.

The Dojo was again totally silent save for the sound of the falling debris. Sensei Tanaka looked over at his rival and said, "get out, take your bullies with you and never come here again for you have NO honor in my eyes!"

Sensei Akira sat stunned for a moment, then he kowtowed and wordlessly left through the hole in the wall.

In a quiet room in his home, Kenji, Nada and Michiko Tanaka sat opposite Akane and Ranko. It was obvious that all three Tanakas are simply waiting for an explanation. Ranko started to speak, but Akane placed a hand over Ranko's and she became still, looking in surprise at Akane. Akane slowly spoke, "Ranko and I have practiced before, for we are joint heirs to my father's Dojo. I know that Ranko has chosen to teach Michiko many of the special techniques of our training hall, but there are some that are too dangerous to just casually teach. These should be taught by the sensei if they are to be taught at all. It was not our place to display or teach these moves we used. We are sorry if our secrecy in this matter has offended you, sensei." Both Tendös bowed to him at this point.

He smiled, "Those are the words I hoped to hear, for now I know that your ethics are strong." He paused and then added, mostly to his daughter, "You are right, and I shall begin to teach her these things."

He looked up at the two Tendö's, "The school term ends tomorrow, what are your plans?"

Akane and Ranko looked at each other hesitantly. Akane spoke for them both again, "we will be going home, there are 'family' problems that we have dodged for far too long."

Michiko asked, "will you return next year, please, even as a guest student if you must?"

This time Ranko spoke for both Tendös, "no, it is time to grow some more, and much as I love this place and its people, it is time to go. But I will write you."

Suddenly Ranko and Michiko embraced and hugged each other closely. The sensei's just smiled, but Akane was flustered; she looked down at her clenched fist and slowly relaxed. She looked over at Ranko, and said to herself in surprise "I think maybe he's learned about caring and letting others know about it". She then relaxed the rest of the way. Somehow she was no longer so jealous.

The next day, Akane and Ranko caught an express train home to the Tendö Dojo. They arrived quietly in the early evening and slipped upstairs unnoticed.

Ranko turned to Akane and excitedly said, "I can't wait to take a hot bath! I've been a girl for a year and I want to finally change back again." Ranko was filling the tub and about to enter when Akane entered the room, naked. Ranko slumped to the floor and just waited, unsure of what was happening.

Akane slowly sat next to Ranko. She said "you are my fiancé, I will no longer hide the fact that I am glad it is so. So get used to me, and let me become comfortable with both halves of you. I don't want us to get too close just yet, but I'll scrub your back if you will scrub mine, so to speak."

Ranko confusedly looked up at her, "but I'll turn into a guy and you'll. . .'

Akane grinned, "I sure hope you will, and no I won't". She continued, "Ranko, what did you learn about girls?"

Ranko slowly said, "when it comes to boys, girls are pretty confused and insecure. Almost as bad as boys are about them."

Akane bit her lower lip, this wasn't the answer she anticipated or needed. She looked over at Ranko again and was amused to note that Ranko's eyes were looking anywhere except at Akane. She then asked, "what was the difference between Ranko and Ranma-chan?"

Ranko thought a bit and then answered "Ranma-chan was the beginning, Ranko was what I hoped to become without knowing exactly what that was. I learned about friends and feelings. Caring for one and sharing the other without hurting other people. And it doesn't make any difference if you are a boy or a girl, but it's even more important between a boy and a girl."

Akane asks, "did Ranma-kun also learn this lesson or should I leave"?

Ranko slowly stood up and took Akane's hands in hers. Together they stepped into the tub. A few moments later he said, "you are beautiful and . . ". He would have continued but her lips got in the way.

She had learned her lessons too, almost.

Ranma was welcomed but refused to say where he had spent the past year, "hey, it was a training trip that I needed to make. No big deal. OK?" Ranma spent the night in the room he once shared with his father.

Unfortunately, old and bad habits don't die easily, especially a temper.

The next morning, after a brief workout, Akane slipped out of the house early to go shopping for some of Ranma's favorite foods. She grinned to herself, 'I'm not sure why I bother, any food is Ranma's favorite food'. Coming back home later with an assortment of fresh fruits, Akane was surprised to see Ukyou standing at the front door of the dojo.

Seeing her coming, Ukyou colored slightly as she bowed to Akane and greeted her, "Ohayo, Akane-chan. I wanted to welcome Ranchan back but, well, is he even up yet?"

Akane forced a welcoming smile, "I doubt it since it's not a school day." As she opened the door for Ukyou, Akane noticed that Ukyou was hiding a gift wrapped package behind her. "What's that?" She asked.

Embarrassed, Ukyou held it out in front of her. It was a mid sized rectangular package garnished in Chinese wrapping paper. "It's something special I picked up for Ranchan in China" she proudly explained.

Time seemed to stop for Akane as she vividly remembered how Ukyou and Shampoo had chased Ranma and even forcibly stopped her near wedding to Ranma, and now that she was finally getting close to Ranma again. . . "NO" she yelled "No you are not going to interfere with Ranma and me again. He's mine. He's mine." Akane dropped her shopping and launched an all out attack on Ukyou as her fury engulfed her.

Akane's yell reverberated through the house, but it had given Ukyou just enough warning that she was able to defend herself. But she was hard pressed as Akane was furious. "No, Akane, no, oh please don't do this. Darn it, I said NO. ALRIGHT IF THAT IS THE WAY YOU WANT IT." And she suddenly slipped under Akane's guard and delivered a hard slap to the face and kick to the gut.

Ukyou paused to unlimber her spatula. However, this proved to be her undoing. As she reached for the spatula, Akane's sudden counter attack left her off balance and she lost her grip on the package she had been shielding. It sailed into the air and even as Akane's kick connected with Ukyou and sent her flying, Akane was already lining up on the package. With both fists she smashed it into the wall above her head.

The cask inside the package exploded into a shower of water, drenching Akane. In disbelief, Akane saw her breasts disappear as she felt herself grow larger all over. She looked at her arms. Strong and hairy, "NO, oh no, no, what have I done to us Ranma" she wailed in a young man's baritone before fainting away in the street before her house.

Ukyou had seen all that happened and unable to face Ranma, she fled blindly homeward.

Barefoot and still pulling up his pants, Ranma burst out the front door. In the distance he saw Ukyou but no sign of Akane. "Ukyou! What happened to Akane?" Fast as Ukyou was, Ranma caught her very quickly. "Ukyou, what did you do to Akane, where is she?"

"She's still at the dojo" Ukyou replied with fragile defiance. "Damn her and her temper anyway. I brought you a gift all the way from China and she flies off the handle, belts me and destroys my gift. It almost serves her right, what happened to her."

"What happened to her!?" Ranma demanded as he grasped both her shoulders, "the only person I saw at the dojo was a fella dressed in a too small gi." A sudden thought crossed his mind. "Oh, no. Ukyou, it wasn't Nannichuan was it?"

It's too much for Ukyou, she began to cry quietly, shoulders barely moving except to seem to become more hunched together. "I'm so sorry Ranma." As she started to cry, Ranma's hold on her became a hug as he pulled her in close to the shelter of his arms. "I meant it as a peace offering. A way to say that I'm sorry for causing you and Akane so much trouble, and now I've made it so much worse. Oh, I wish I was dead!" Her crying become sobbing and she cradled her head in her hands on his chest.

"That was Akane?" Ranma stiffened, but as his arms dropped from around Ukyou, she seemed to release him so that he was free to leave. This small movement was so unexpected that he stayed where he was and looked down at the girl sobbing next to him. He colored as he realized that he was about to leave her crying in the street to check on Akane who was probably already with her family. "Ukyou, Ucchan," he said as he caressed her hair and held her in a hug, "maybe one Saotome left you without honor, but this Saotome will not ever abandon you again. I will always honor your friendship and be there when you need help or comforting. Even if it's Akane you are in trouble with, I will still count you as a friend. My first and best friend." He hugged her closer as her sobbing increased. "Maybe my only friend"

He gently picked her up and bounded to the nearest rooftop where he sat cradling her in his arms as the morning sun cleared the housetops. A small sigh escaped her lips as she snuggled into the tee-shirt he was wearing and fell asleep, emotionally exhausted.

Ranma looked down at her sleeping face. Something in her face reminded him of Michiko and he thought "_no, not my only friend but certainly my first and best_." With that he also recalled this last year as Ranko and began to have some idea of just how much Ukyou needed his support just then.

Hours later she stirred and awakened. Puzzled, she looked up into Ranma's face. "Ranma? What's happening, were are we?"

"Well," began Ranma with a smile, "it seems I have this friend who decided I made a good bed and fell asleep in my arms. So I have been watching the sunrise while she slept. How do you feel?"

Embarrassed, Ukyou sat up. "I'm sorry Ranma. You really didn't have to do this for me. I know you must be frantic with worry about Akane."

"Yes" Ranma smiled at her, "yes to both. Yes, I was frantic and, yes, I really had to do this for you. No, not just for you but for myself and my family's honor as well." He grinned at her, "besides, this gave me the chance to do something I rarely ever do. It gave me the chance to think about out how to react to Akane." His grin turned stony, "you know, I really am getting tired of her temper too. This incident may just present a perfect opportunity to give her a taste of her own medicine."

Ranma hugged his knees together as he looked over at Ukyou, "you know, I think I'll spend the day with you. It's the only way that I can think of to thank you for trying to cure me. What would you like to do." He added, "besides, I think I'll let Akane stew for awhile."

Ukyou's face showed shock at first, then it was replaced with sheer joy. "Oh, thank you, you have no idea how much that means to me." She paused a moment, "I would really like to do nothing. Maybe just go to the beach and watch the waves roll in. Maybe talk, maybe not. Is it OK if we don't do anything in particular except be together?" she ended wistfully.

Ranma's brow was furrowed in thought, "I thought of a couple of nice places to go. Only problem is, Akane knows that I like them too. Do you have any special place that maybe Akane doesn't know about?"

A wide grin creased her face as she enthusiastically nodded yes. Ranma really did mean to spend the day with her. She lead the way to her shop where she hurriedly packed a large picnic lunch and found a shirt for Ranma. She then lead the way to a northern point on the beach. There was an area that seemed all vertical rocks but when you got to the top, there was a small meadow ringed with rocks that had an opening facing the sea 30 meters below.

They sat there all day, talking about anything, everything. Late in the afternoon, they silently watched the clouds sail by as they sat on a blanket together with their backs to the warm rocks. As they drowsily sat, they were overtaken by a brief rain squall that dampened everything and then moved on. When the rain started, Ranma attempted to shield them by pulling the blanket over them while hugging Ukyou. But the wind blew the water underneath and Ranma changed. Ranko sputtered to Ukyou "jeez, that sure was sudden. Well at least the sun is warm . . . " That was as far as she got before noticing that Ukyou was different.

Ukyou's hair was no longer completely black. There were shifting rainbow shades now shadowed in it. And her skin seemed to faintly and iridescently glisten. As he looked closer, she saw the faint outlines of scales traced almost imperceptibly into the skin.

Ranko's face was shocked and sad, "oh no, Ukyou, not you too. That's entirely too high price to pay for Nannichuan."

Ukyou sadly nodded. "When I got to Jusenkyo, they were in the middle of building a visitors center and wouldn't let me in. So just before dawn I snuck into the pool area. I had found an old map that showed me where the Nannichuan should have been, but with the construction and other changes I couldn't find it at first. I sat on a pile of stone to get my bearings but they slipped and I fell into a hole that the construction had uncovered." She shivered, "oh the water was so cold and I felt so strange." She continued, "I made so much noise when I fell that the Jusenkyo secret society people who were building the visitors center immediately came and fished me out of the pool. When they saw me, they were in total shock and another thing, I suddenly understood Chinese; I guess because I was now a magical creature." She looked into Ranko's face, "they were terrified, they said 'Oh no, we've found the first pool, quickly, we must rebury it again before SHE comes and destroys us all'."

Ukyou paused a few moments and a slight smile crossed her face. "Everybody there worked feverishly and almost had all signs of the pool eliminated before the Dragon appeared with a furious flash of light. She screamed in blazing letters across the sky, 'why have you tormented my grief again?' But then she saw me and quietly hovered before me before landing. A wondrous thing happened when she landed. She became a beautiful Chinese lady that shimmered with sparking lights all over. As she landed, all the Jusenkyo people knelt to her but she ignored them and just silently studied me. It was strange, but I wasn't the least bit afraid. It almost seemed that I knew her somehow."

Ranko looked at her again. "Is that what your curse was? Are you also a dragon?"

Ukyou smiled sadly at Ranko, "yes, that was what happened to me. But I don't really think of it as a curse. It's something different. Anyway the dragon lady looked at the efforts that had been made to bury the pool again and said 'I will return in 10 days, be thou done with this project then or I will have ye for my meal.' Then she held out her hands to me. When I took her hands this world suddenly vanished and I was in another world. The world of dragons. We were gone from Jusenkyo for only 10 days but it was 10 years in the land of the dragons. She told me the story of the cursing of the pools of Jusenkyo." Ukyou paused a moment, "long ago, there was only one large magic pool. The magic water that flowed into it from Mt Phoenix created a pool of healing for all that used it. The water was particularly effective for magic creatures such as elves and dragons. Dragons have the ability to temporarily take on mortal human form but it must the taught and learned. One day a family of dragons came to the pool and the youngest dragon, a girl child not yet in the equivalent of dragon teens, was practicing her human form when she fell into the pool and drowned. In her grief, the mother dragon changed the course of a bunch of falling stars and destroyed the first Jusenkyo pool. But it left the landscape littered with large holes or craters. Each of these in turn became a pool of Jusenkyo magic water, but now the water was cursed in that it no longer heals but resurrects in the living, the body of the last being to die in each pool."

"Twice before the original pool had been briefly found but always the mother dragon had returned and claimed vengeance on those she had discovered there. As for those who fell in the pool, she took them with her and they were never heard of again." Ukyou sighed, "I was afraid that I was also trapped, but mother dragon kept me safe and taught me how to assume my dragon shape and about dragon lore during those 10 years. I almost think of her as my step mom now. At the end of 10 years she asked me, 'already the battles are beginning for your hand as dragon girls are very rare in dragon land. Do you think you will stay here?' I could only answer, 'dragon-mom, I do not know. I have unfinished business in the world of men, but I must admit that there is a peace here that I have not found before.' And then she brought me back again."

"She didn't punish the Jusenkyo people after she saw the beautiful park and garden that they had made over the first pool. But she did make them give me a cask of the Nannichuan. And here I am" she finished.

"So every year there is only a day here?" Ranko asked.

"No" replied Ukyou, "that's not how it works. A year here is the same as a year there. Only the doorway times change. If I go to dragon land, I can chose to arrive the day after I left or a century later. But the next time I go back to dragon land, I can't go back earlier than when I was last there." She continued the explanation, "so if I want to go a hundred years in your future, I can go to dragon land and then come out in the future but then I can never see anything in between again."

Ukyou stood up and lead Ranko to a puddle of water from the brief rainsquall. When they were both standing in it, she briefly took on her dragon form but before Ranko could react, she released a fiery blast at the water at their feet. The instant sauna immediately banished their cursed forms.

Still holding Ranma's hands, Ukyou asked, "Ranchan, how do you love me?"

Ranma, looked at her hands and then slowly looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry, Ukyou, I love you as a friend, almost as a sister. But I can't promise you more" he softly answered.

Unsurprised, Ukyou merely hugged him and answered, "I know, I just had to be sure though." Stepping back she said, "Ranma, I can't stay around and just be your friend. If I did, I'd end up a lonely old maid and that wouldn't make either of us happy. I'm going to live in both this world and the dragon world but I promise to drop in and check up on you and your descendents from time to time." She blushed, "you have no idea how much it meant to me that you stood by me today. It healed a lot of pain and I can finally let you go."

A musical voice behind them said, "I am glad."

They both turned and saw a beautiful Chinese lady standing quietly. Ranma saw the iridescence that surrounded her and guessed just as Ukyou spoke, "oh Ranma, it's my dragon mom" and Ukyou ran and hugged her. Ranma bowed in respectful greeting.

"So, my little one, ready to go?" asked dragon mom of Ukyou. When Ukyou shook her head no, she nodded and spoke then to Ranma. "I name you 'dragon-friend' for the care and friendship you have shown my daughter. Come here."

Ranma walked over and watched as she studied his face, tilting his chin to one side and then the other. She then stared intently at her finger and Ranma saw a drop of blood begin to appear. With a sudden deft movement she dabbed the blood between his eyes and vanished.

"What the heck" Ranma blurted and rubbed his forehead, but nothing seemed to be there.

Ukyou walked over to him, hugged him briefly and began to pack up their picnic. "It's time we went home Ranma" she said.

Dusk was coming on as Ranma made his way to the Tendo home after walking Ukyou home. As he walked in the door, he was confronted by a worried Akane. "Ranma, where have you been. We've looked all over for you. Didn't you care what happened to me?" As an afterthought she added, "I'm so sorry that I spoiled Ukyou's gift."

Without a smile, Ranma said, "I thought Tanaka-sensei taught you to control your temper better than that. Now you've damned us both again. Welcome to the world of perverts. How does it feel to be 'one of the guys' Akane."

Akane's face mirrored the shock that all the rest of the family showed at his harsh words. But Akane's shock quickly gave way to fury as she conjured a mallet and attacked with a yell of anger.

Quick as she was, Ranma was even quicker with the bucket of water that he has been concealing behind him. Splashing them both, Ranko took advantage of Akane's momentary confusion to grab the mallet and Ranko nailed Akane across the rear.

Nabiki was furious and yelled, "don't you hit my sister!"

Ranko turned a puzzled glance at her, "what are you talking about. The Tendo family tradition is that girls pound boys and Akane and I are certainly following custom in our present genders." With that Ranko yelled "pervert" and attempted to nail Akane again, but she managed to dodge behind her father.

Before anybody can say anything, Kasumi nods and replied to Ranko, "yes, yes you are right" and returned to the kitchen.

Soun has finally grasped what was happening and a fierce demonic visage suddenly began to appear. But just as quickly, Ranko was engulfed in a sparkling blue aura that seems to be a dragon incarnate and Soun faints.

Genma shakily asked, "son, what was that?"

Ranko dazedly replied, "a gift from the step-mom of a friend."

Akane's new male voice pleaded, "Ranko, I'm sorry. I felt so helpless when you attacked me. And I didn't even say anything to deserve it."

Ranko's answer was short, "welcome to my world and how you make me feel so often." With the new sensitivity that she had learned from the Tanaka's, Ranko bowed to the Tendos and apologized "I am sorry, but the way things were around here is no longer acceptable to me." With that she started up the stairs, "I'm pooped. I think I'll take a bath and go to bed."

A bit later, Ranma was soaking in the tub when Akane-kun entered and began to rinse off in preparation for entering the tub. "Akane, are you sure about this?" Ranma asked him.

Akane looked down at himself and the tears began to silently flow. "I'm really sorry for what happened today. I can't believe the mess I made of our lives. But Ranma, please help me. There is no one else I can talk to about this" as Akane waved a hand vaguely toward himself.

Ranma moved over to one side and Akane slipped into the water beside him and she was soon weeping in his arms. Somehow guy-girl wasn't important anymore. Ranma asked "did you figure out how to go to the bathroom yet?"

Akane blushed and shook her head no. "I sure used a lot of hot water today. It seemed that cold water was hitting me every time I turned around. But I managed to be a girl when I really needed to." She managed a shaky grin. "I never did ask how you managed your first few days. If you were on a training trip, you probably didn't have much hot water did you?"

Ranma blushed in turn as he remembered, "yeah, right after pop and I fell into the pools, the weather turned chancy. Nice until we had hot water. It seems as if we were never able to stay in our regular forms for more than an hour at a time." He chuckled at a particular memory. "the first time I had to go to the bathroom as a girl, I ended up wetting my shoes. I would have killed pop if I could have caught him I was so angry about that."

Akane giggled, "I can just visualize that." She sighed "I'm sorry Ranma. Thank you for not being mad anymore and letting me be here with you. I guess I really do need to keep working on my temper." She paused for a few moments "how is Ukyou doing?"

Ranma shifted so that Akane was facing him, "Ukyou is finally starting to heal and become whole again. Akane, I will never again allow you to harm Ukyou. The Saotome's have harmed her enough and I will not permit that to ever happen again. She is a friend and that is finally OK with her. She's not competition anymore, OK?"

Akane's face was still as she hung her head, "yes Ranma, I understand." She looked into his eyes, "I'm glad she's still your friend. Besides Michiko, she is about the only other one you have I think."

"Yeah" muttered Ranma "lots of people know me, but somehow, I only have two friends, both girls. I guess it really says a lot about how well I relate to people doesn't it?"

"That isn't fair to yourself and you know it" Akane remonstrated. "You never stayed long enough in any one place to make any friends." Akane paused in sudden thought, "Michiko isn't here but you said the dragon aura was 'a gift from a friend's step mom', but that means Ukyou. . " The color drains from Akane's face, "how can this be from Ukyou? Oh no, she's not cursed too is she?"

Ranma solemnly nodded, "yeah, Ukyou fell in a 'drowned dragon girl pool' and now has a foster dragon family as well as her own folks. She paid a heavy price for the cask you broke" he quietly concluded.

"Do you hate me now" Akane asked with growing unease.

"No," replied Ranma, "I don't think I could ever hate you. But I'm not sure we are really suited for each other either. We've caused each other a lot of pain and that's not a very good foundation for a relationship."

As Akane and Ranma came down to supper, the Soun gushed, "ah the happy couple. Maybe there is a wedding soon."

Before Akane can say anything, Ranma coolly stated, "no, and this time I mean it. I like Akane a lot. But there's got to be more to a relationship than what we have now before I would agree to marry her." Then he suddenly grinned, "anyway, since she can now become a guy, you could say that you have an heir without me."

"Ranma" Akane's face was suffused with fury, "I thought we were closer than that. You stay out of my bath . . . you, you pervert!"

Before she can say more, Ranma picked up a hidden bucket of water and splashed them both. "You seem to forget, pervert, that it was YOU who came into my bath" she yelled up at Akane-kun!

"Ranma, I missed you" yelled Happosai as he attempted to clutch Ranko's breasts. Ranko yelped and barely dodged. As the two faced each other, the leering old master, grinned, "I wonder how much you have changed girl, let me 'examine' your skills" as his attention focused on her bosom.

Before he can move, Ranko seemed to flicker and Happosai responded by leaping to Soun Tendo and clutching his chest as if searching for breasts. "Augh" screamed Soun as he pounded his master into the floor before ducking into the kitchen.

"Wha, what happened?" muttered Happosai. His attention focused on Ranko again but more care was evident in his attack this time. Nonetheless, before he can attack, Ranko seemed to momentarily flicker again and his groping hands encounter Genma's chest this time and both end up in the pool.

Chagrinned and frustrated, Happosai's battle aura began to expand and darken as it became more powerful.

But before can launch an attack, Ranko's 'dragon incarnate' battle aura appeared and seemed to swell with a fury that startled even the old master. His battle aura collapsed and slowly Ranko's also subsided.

"Well, it seems you have learned a few things" Happosai sighed, "well, if not you, then who else" as his eyes swept the other females in the room.

"No!" blurted Ranko, "they can't defend themselves." She sighed, and seemed to give in. Ranko reached into the backpack that she hadn't yet put away from last night. She pulled out a dainty lace underwear and tossed it to him.

Happosai snagged it midair and crushed it to his face. "Beautiful" he sighed.

"Are you sure?" Ranko asked.

"Huh, what'd you mean?" responded the old man with a puzzled expression.

As he looked at Ranko, he noticed that she seemed to flicker again. He looked at the panty and lifted it to his face. "NO, it's, it's like sandpaper and . . . it's awful." In fury he turned on Ranko only to find her kneeling face to face with him.

In a steely tone, she said "I can destroy your perversion. How would you like to spend the rest of your miserable life grabbing at guys and being unable to stand the sight or touch of girls underwear?"

Happosai blanched and said, "truce?"

"OK" Ranko replied, "the terms are that I will leave your senses alone but you will not bother any and I mean ANY woman in this house, got it?"

Happosai swallowed and nodded, suddenly Ranko flickered again. Then she did something very odd, she patted the old man on the head and walked away.

Happosai hardly seemed to notice, his face was buried in Ranko's gift panty and he's murmuring, "I thought I had lost you forever, oh how sweet it is."

"Ranko" Akane asked, "where did you learn those techniques?"

Ranko looked up, sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Akane, I'm not allowed to tell you." She added, "one of the conditions for learning is the ability to control your temper and my sensei forbade me to tell you anything about these techniques."

"Oh" was Akane's only reply.

Summer vacation passed quickly, and Ranma resumed sparing with his father who had quietly moved back in without letting his wife know where he had gone to. Nodoka looked for him but she never recognized Ranko and the Panda as her son and husband.

Ranma spent about half his time in his girl form and regularly beat the stuffing out of Genma. His normal form was less successful in this enjoyable task, but that was laid to lack of practice.

Unfortunately, old and bad habits can gain new life when the old circumstances are restored.

It was malleting time again for Ranko.

Akane nailed Ranko midair and she collapsed nervelessly across Nabiki's lap.

As Akane prepared to strike again, Nabiki noticed the blood and tears and uncharacteristically responded by shielding Ranko from Akane's wrath.

The mallet stopped barely above Nabiki's head as Akane yelled, "Nabiki, what are you doing? He deserves this!"

Nabiki raised her head from above Ranma, wiped a finger in the blood above Ranko's temple, showed it to Akane and said, "no, nobody deserves to be treated like this. No matter what he said about your cooking, this is too much."

"Akane, look at him! Blood from ears, nose and temple all mingling with tears that Ranma would deny crying if he were conscious." Nabiki continued, "not once has he ever defended himself against you, time and time again he has rescued you. Yet somehow he still cares for you." She relentlessly continued, "I pity him because if you ever do marry him, you will make his life a living hell."

Akane and Soun stared at Nabiki in shock but Kasumi merely nodded in agreement. This shocked Akane even further and she fled upstairs to her room.

Kasumi brought a warm cloth, then she and Nabiki gently cleaned the small red headed girl's face as she laid in Nabiki's lap. Ranko suddenly awakened but before she could rise, Nabiki tartly ordered, "lie still, I'm not done with you yet" as she held the younger girl down against her.

Ranko weakly resisted at first, but subsided and allowed them to finish washing her face.

Ranko asked Kasumi, "what happened?"

Nabiki interrupted, "no questions. Get your jacket on. We are going to see Dr. Tofu."

"But, bu . . b " and subsided as Kasumi wordlessly handed Ranko her jacket.

Ranko started to follow Nabiki but when she stumbled just outside the door of the dojo, Nabiki hastened back and took the smaller girl's hand and led her along. Ranko was still too dazed to notice that she was now holding Nabiki's hand.

They met Dr. Tofu just outside his office door. One look at Ranko and he hurriedly unlocked his office again and held the door open as the two girls entered.

Carefully examining Ranko, Tofu asked a one-word question, "Akane?"

Nabiki nodded her head and asked, "how is Ranma? He still seems dazed"

Tofu shook his head and began massaging Ranko's neck and head. "This could be a pretty serious injury. She has a slight concussion but nothing to worry about unless she gets hit again anytime soon."

Nabiki snorted, "then I better not take him home again. Between this jerk's big mouth and Akane's temper, he's unlikely to last the evening."

"She" Tofu corrected her, "she."

"What?" Nabiki was taken aback. "We know Ranma is really a guy, it's just that curse that changes his form into a girl when he gets wet."

Tofu continued, "I'm not so sure that the curse was the accident we thought or that it's limited in its effects either. This could be Ranma's fate, a lesson he needed to learn to grow or maybe correct a mistake."

Something clicked in Nabiki's mind and she studied Ranko more closely remembering the lilt of Ranma's voice, her feminine body language mannerisms and the sway of Ranma's walk over the past weeks when he was a girl.

Ranko blushed under Nabiki's and Tofu's combined gaze, "what are ya looking at, ain't cha never seen a guy before?"

Nabiki raised a finger and caught Ranko's attention. "Ranma, you were born a guy, but lately you've been spending a lot of time as a girl. Your mind doesn't change when your body does, but, Ranma who are you really?"

"Stop IT!" she yelled, "I'm a gu . . gu . . g "

"You can't say it can you?"

Tears streaming down her face, Ranko slowly shook her head no.

"Ranma," Nabiki began, "I want you to think about the future. Picture yourself and Akane married. Tell me about your life and how you feel."

"No, no" murmured Ranko, "don't make me do this." The tears do not ease but continued to fall steadily unnoticed by Ranko.

Nabiki lifted Ranko's chin and looked her steadily in the eyes. "Ranma, this is a battle whether or not you realize it. And I've never known you to run from a battle or lose one in the end either. FOCUS on it and really see what's at stake here."

Ranko leaned back against Tofu's chest and sniffed, "I guess, I guess we would still fight, maybe only a little though. After all we do care for each other, don't we?"

Tofu asked, "Ranma, who else does Akane fight with? Is this really your vision of a happy future?"

Nabiki tapped Ranma between the eyes, "the eyes don't change. Whether it's boy or girl type Ranma, the eyes don't change. The only question left, is the heart and soul looking out of these eyes a girl or a boy? Ranma, there is no shame in being a girl or else half the world is damned. So Ranma, who are you? Only you truly know."

Ranko looked from Tofu's face to Nabiki's. She saw only concern and knew that an answer was needed. "But I don't know" she wailed.

Nabiki and Tofu moved together and held the weeping Ranko between them as she clutched Nabiki.

The trio was motionless for awhile and gradually the sobbing became an occasional sniffle. Ranma murmured, "I'm sorry, I don't know what happened, I'm sorry to cause such trouble to you all."

Nabiki was relentless as always but surprisingly gentle this time. "Ranma, who are you? Not for Akane's sake or our fathers' plans sake. But for your sake, who are you?"

The clear blue eyes studied Nabiki for a moment and she whispered, "for Akane's sake?" Suddenly Ranma smiled, a radiant smile that dimpled her face and illuminated her eyes, "I'm a girl, Nabiki, a girl!" and she hugged them both as she repeated it over and over, finally accepting herself.

Nabiki turned troubled eyes on Ranko, "Ranma, . . no, I mean Ranko, I know you and Akane were getting along better until you came back here and then she became cursed and everything seemed to go to hell. But are you really sure? This is going to hurt her a lot and our folks aren't going to lightly accept it very well. I mean, I think maybe you are right, but are you really sure? It could just be your injury that makes you feel like this. It's happened before you know."

Ranko bit her lip as she looked at Nabiki and Tofu. "It does feel right, but, . . well, I was really sure a bit ago but, . . maybe we shouldn't say anything just yet? At least until I am completely sure?"

Dr. Tofu sighed and then nodded, "Ok Ranko, we'll keep your secret for awhile until you are sure it's not just something temporary."

Maybe it was because she somehow blamed Ranma for her becoming cursed, but as the end of the summer vacation neared, Akane's temper was almost back to what it was before Ranma left to spend a year alone learning about herself. Ranma's attempts to turn the tables on Akane had one serious flaw, he couldn't actually hurt her like she could him and gradually Akane learned that Ranko's anger was all bluff. This only seemed to make Akane wilder.

It was almost a month after Ranko's visit with Dr. Tofu, but Ranma was still confused about his true identity even though they had accepted the possibility that he was truly becoming a girl. As screwed up as his life was now, he couldn't see how publicly acknowledging his newly emerging self identity as a girl would improve anything at all.

Moments after her father knocked her into the pond, Akane's mallet slammed her rolling back toward the house. Wet, dirty and dazed; Ranko stumbled into the house and collapsed at the table. She crossed her arms on the table, laid her head down and closed her eyes.

But there was no respite from the pain. "Ranma, you idiot! You're getting the floor muddy!" yelled Akane as she pulled her mallet out again. But the blow didn't fall. Akane hesitated as she saw the tears on Ranko's face.

"Ranma, what's wrong?" Akane asked. She put a hand on the small red headed girl's shoulder and was disturbed to notice that Ranko flinched away.

Ranko wearily sat up. "I don't know how much more of this I can take" she said in a broken voice.

"Oh I'm sure this only a minor event in the mondo macho Ranma's life" sneered Nabiki.

Ranma's eyes narrowed and glared like laser beams at Nabiki, "Do I LOOK macho to you just now?" she hissed between gritted teeth.

"Oh, is the widdle girl all upset?" Mocked Nabiki.

Surprisingly, Ranma didn't answer at first. She just sat there and seemed to think about it before finally replying, "Yes, Nabiki. I think you have it right." Ranma cupped her chin in her hands with her elbows on the table and sighed tiredly. "There is the macho Ranma and the 'widdle' girl, they seem to be the same but they really aren't completely the same anymore."

"Well, if we are going to have a 'pity' party, count me in." Snarled Akane as she sat next to Nabiki, "my life has been awful since you moved in, started freeloading off us and got me cursed like you."

The color drained from Ranko's face. "Perhaps it would be better then if I left?" she asked.

"Yes!" answered Akane and Nabiki together as they gave each other a high-5. They ignored Ranko as she got up from the table and wordlessly went upstairs.

Many hours later, Kasumi seemed puzzled as she entered Akane's room. "Akane, have you seen Ranma? It's dinner time and I can't find him anywhere and all his stuff is gone."

Akane and Nabiki looked at each other in shock. "You don't think he thought we were serious?" asked Akane.

"He couldn't be that dumb!" stated Nabiki.

They both rushed to Ranma's room and their faces paled as they looked around. Even his dirty laundry was gone.

.o0o. .o0o.

As Ranko made her way up the stairs, her heart was numb. She was hurting and they had rejected her yet another time was all she could see. She quickly and quietly took a bath in the warm water remaining in the tub. Ranma rinsed out his clothes and hurriedly packed his few belongings. He could hear the Tendo girls giggling below and had no desire to lose another verbal exchange with them. He looked around and made his way out of the house from his bedroom window, the backpack barely hampered his movements.

Ranma's confidence felt hollow. It put up a good front but there was no real substance to it anymore. His wandering wasn't aimless, even if his path wasn't direct. There was someone he wanted to see, if he had the guts. He sat on a rooftop across from a small house that showed signs of damage only partially repaired. As he looked at the house, he started to argue with himself. "She'll use the katana on me if I tell her the truth. But I can't really hide it anymore. She deserves to know who I really am. Do I know who I really am? I miss her so much. Just once I want her to know me."

Ranma dropped to the front door of his mother's home and timidly knocked on the door. When Nodoka opened the door, she momentarily stared at the stranger before simply embracing him and drawing him into the house.

"Ranma, where have you been?" she asked as she hugged him closer.

"Hiding" Ranma answered tersely. Seeing the confusion on his mother's face he sat down at the small table and bowed to her. "I'm sorry mother. For years I did not know about you. I barely remembered you and Dad refused to talk about you. Then when we moved into the Tendo house, dad told me about the 'contract' he had with you and how it also included me if I wasn't manly enough." He paused and hung his head, "I was afraid of your katana, so I hid from you the past couple of years. I am sorry."

She looked at her son and asked, "Ranma, what cause have you to be afraid of me. I see a fine young man, handsome, and the fluidity of your movements says you are a fine martial artist. What don't I see?"

"Two years ago," began Ranma, "I could have faced you with no fear whatsoever. But something happened. It changed me. It changed me so much that I'm not even sure who I am anymore."

"Ranma," whispered Nodoka, "what happened. You're not gay are you?"

Ranma leaned back shocked, "NO!" Then he smiled, "I wish it was something so simple to explain." He took his mother's hands and looked into her troubled face. "Do you believe in magic?"

"Magic? What does that have to do with this?" she asked.

"Mom, let me show you. I'll need two pans of water, one cool and the other hot." Ranma replied.

In the kitchen, Nodoka showed Ranma the sink and the hot teapot. Ranma took a bowl of cool water and dumped it over his head. He caught his mother as she fainted.

Nodoka woke up, looked around and said "Oh Ranko, I had the strangest dream. . ." Then she noticed the tears in Ranma's eyes as she shook her wet head.

"Dad and I were hiding in plain sight mom" she said sadly. She got up and doused herself with the hot water. "Magic does exist and it's made my life hell."

"Your dad?" her eyes narrowed as she made some obvious connections. "I'm thinking that a Panda skin rug would be nice" she growled as the katana suddenly appeared in her hand.

Ranma's face was white as he knelt before his mother. "I am sorry mother." He closed his eyes and waited. He was startled as cold water hit his face. He looked up at his mother in surprise to see her studying him.

"Are you really a girl?" she asked.

Ranko blushed "Y. . yes." She swallowed, "It was awful at first, I just couldn't seem to get used to it. But then I found that I could cope with it. I mean, I still was a guy inside. Heck, I even pretended to act like a girl to get extra food from vendors who saw me only as a cute gal." Ranma paused and his face lost all color as he recalled more recent events. "But then, being a girl started to become real. My emotions, my responses started to change a lot when I changed from guy to gal. Now when I am in this form I really am becoming a girl, even to having periods."

Ranma watched as Nodoka dumped the remaining hot water on him. He anticipated her question, "when I'm a guy, I really am a guy. In fact, I am so macho that it's almost ridiculous at times." He shrugged, "maybe it's a reaction to being a girl half the time."

"Ranma, are you manly?" asked his mother as she set her katana on the table.

Ranma sighed. "I don't know anymore mother. That's why I came here tonight. I don't know and somehow I no longer care either." He looked up at her with only a hint of a moisture in his eyes. "It's your call. I just wanted to see you and know that you knew it was me. I've missed you so much."

Nodoka sat down and hugged her son close. "I've missed you too." Mother and son sat there, arms around each other, tears on their faces.

"What's happened Ranma? The last time I saw Ranko, she seemed full of life, nothing like what I saw tonight." Nodoka asked as she pulled back to look in Ranma's eyes.

Ranma shrugged, "It's part of my girl side maturing, I guess. My normal day is to get pounded by Akane a few times, harassed by Happosai or glomped onto by Shampoo and maybe get into a couple of fights with other kids who are either mad at me or want me for some reason or other." He paused, "My guy side just kind of passes it off, but my girl side has a harder time dealing with it now. When it happens to her, she feels abused by Akane, molested by both Happosai and Shampoo and unloved by everybody. I can't argue with that interpretation and even as a guy I'm having a harder time just accepting this as a normal lifestyle, no matter how screwed up my life is." His head bows, "sometimes I almost wanted to fail the 'manly' test."

"Sorry, Ranma" his mother grinned, "you pass. Coming here tonight like this was both an honorable and manly thing to do. Your curse has nothing to do with that."

Ranma looked quizzically at her "being a girl part time, running from a situation I can't take anymore and being ready to completely give up; yet that is both honorable and manly? What am I missing?"

Nodoka bonked him on the head lightly, "you have no choice about becoming a girl, the situation IS intolerable and you haven't actually given up. You have in fact tried to find another solution by coming to see and talk with me."

They looked at each other for a few moments. Ranma hugged his mother, "I'm so glad to be back mom" he said with the first hint of his inherent self confidence returning. "So what happens now. I'm not sure I really want to go back to the Tendos anytime soon. But they are sure to look here soon and, well, there is the fiancée thing."

Nodoka looked at Ranma musingly, "well, it is a Saotome tradition to go on long training journeys, and I've never seen America. How is your English?"

Ranma bit his lip and asked "hum, what about dad?"

Nodoka arched an eyebrow, "what about him, did you want to have him come with us?"

Ranma smiled, "not really, god only knows how many times he's engaged me or sold me for food when I was little. Then I still suffer nightmares from the nekoken and now he's gotten me cursed. I will miss him but I'd rather not see him for awhile."

Nodoka grinned, "I have a cousin who lives in America. She's invited me to visit her several times and she just happens to be visiting her folks this week. Let's go over to their house for the rest of the week and see if she can help us." She added, "Ranma, I hope you don't mind but I've gotten used to calling your girl side Ranko, is it OK if I still do that?"

Ranma smiled "I think I would like that mom, we are the same person, but we are also different. I think the different names will help me to accept that as a real part of who I am." He paused a few moments obviously debating something with himself, "mom, I think you should know that I'm beginning to think of myself as a girl, not a guy. I don't really know why and I don't even know if it's just something temporary or permanent but I don't want to hide this or anything else from you again."

Nodoka's face was still but she merely hugged Ranma to herself. "Thank you for telling me that. I'll try not to judge anything you tell me, but maybe you should talk to Dr. Tofu about this?"

Ranma smiled hesitantly down at his mother, "Nabiki and Dr. Tofu recognized what was happening to me before I did." He slowly replied.

"Oh" she replied as she laid her head down on his chest and thought about it. "Does that mean you want to travel with me as a girl?"

Ranma half grinned, "Not all the time, mom. It's not settled, but I've decided to let it happen which ever way it does happen. I plan on spending time in both forms rather than attempting to force the issue one way or the other."

Nodoka smiled up at her son, "My cousin knows I have a son, so please travel that way. But it's Ok if Ranko shows up too. We'll deal with explanations later if we need to. I'll give my cousin a call and then hurry and pack. Why don't you make us something to eat."

Mother and son left shortly thereafter. It was going to be an interesting journey.

.o0o. .o0o.

**_Chapter 2 of "Life Choices"_**

.o0o. .o0o.

It was late afternoon on an early fall day as Nodoka and Ranma made their way through the busy streets of Yokohama, approaching the residence of Nodoka's aunt & uncle who lived in a modest home on the outskirts of Nagishi Heights. Though the day was cool, walking was sufficient to keep them more than adequately warm. It contributed to their mutual sense of well being, for after more than 10 years, mother and son were united again and off on an adventure that had the distinct advantage of leaving most of Ranma's worries behind him nominally.

After several days of searching for Ranma, Akane decided to go to the Tanaka dojo and see if Ranma had returned there. As she walked across the grounds with Michiko Tanaka, they met Kenji and Nada Tanaka. Akane's face showed the frustration that she felt due to Ranma's absence. She explained, "I and my sister were just teasing Ranko, we never thought she would just leave like that again. OH! She makes me so mad sometimes."

Kenji studied Akane and slowly shook his head, "Your temper is even further out of control than when you first arrived here. What happened?" Akane flushed with embarrassment but before she could answer, the whole group was drenched as the underground sprinkler system suddenly came on.

The sprinklers were immediately shut off as the gardener apologized saying, "gomen nasai sensei, I was trying to repair the timing when they all turned on." But the small group hardly noticed him and Kenji merely waved him away. The attention of all three Tanaka's was focused on the fourth member of their group.

Nada seemed the least shocked, "I had heard of Jusenkyou but hardly credited the tales with any truth. It seems I was wrong." She shook her head, "I was wondering why you had taken to wearing unisex spandex, Akane, now I see why." as she looked up at the tall muscular man before her. "Come, let's sit in the dojo and hear the rest of this story."

Despite it's incongruity with her masculine appearance, Akane was obviously close to tears as she began. "This is why Ranma fled. When this happened, I lost my hold on my temper that sensei had helped me gain. And I'm afraid that I've also lost Ranma too."

"Who's Ranma?" asked Michiko.

Akane hung her head. "Ranma is my fiancée, Ranko is his Jusenkyou cursed form. Ranma got cursed several years ago on a training trip with his father to Jusenkyou in china. I got cursed this past summer when my temper led me to destroy a gift for Ranma. The gift was a cask of Jusenkyou cursed spring water that would have cured Ranma, but instead I ended up cursing myself and blaming him. I feel so ashamed, I've made Ranma's life a living hell this summer."

"Ranko's really a guy?" whispered Michiko and Nada together and flushed in unison remembering some really private moments totally unsuited for a male presence.

Akane looked over at Michiko, "yes and no, Ranma's a guy but Ranko really is a girl. You helped her deal with that part of Ranma's identity. That was part of the reason that Ranma ran away last year. It was to truly learn how to be a girl rather than just impersonate one." Akane started to silently cry, "I've been a girl for almost my whole life, yet Ranko became prettier, gentler and more feminine than me in just a year." She continued, "I think I became jealous of her. That didn't help my temper either."

Nada rose and entered the dojo change rooms. She shortly emerged with a pot of hot water which she unceremoniously dumped on Akane. Michiko studied the familiar presence of Akane and nodded to herself. "So this was the 'bad reaction to hot water' that Ranko mentioned."

Akane nodded, "yes, cold water causes the cursed form to appear while hot water restores the normal form." She sighed, "at least Ranma and I were lucky that our cursed forms are human. Ranma's father turns into a Panda and we know a Chinese couple that turn into a cat and a duck." Seeing the shock on the Tanaka's faces, she grinned and said, "honest, I'm not kidding."

Akane looked over at Michiko "please don't blame Ranko. When it comes down to it, you are one of just two true friends that she has. Her life has been very lonely and she treasured her year with you." Akane added, "I was pretty happy here too. Maybe Ranma and I should have stayed here instead of going back home." She blinked back tears and shrugged, "I thought that maybe we could finally work things out between us." Akane looked at each of them briefly, "Ranma tried, I see that now. But I finally drove him away and I don't know where to look for him anymore."

Kenji spoke quietly, "Ranma or Ranko, I don't care, she is welcome always."

Nada nodded, "I feel the same way. Akane, please tell us about Ranma though. How could a person with so much life and energy end up so alone?"

So Akane told them about Ranma, his life and what she had experienced with him over the past several years. They were in awe about the battle with Saffron, shocked to learn the details of the nekoken and could hardly contain their laughter as Akane explained Ranma's various suitors, both female and male.

As Akane was preparing to leave, she asked "If you see Ranma, will you please tell him I'm sorry and also let me know where he is?"

Kenji held up a hand to forestall the others before they could respond, "No, Akane, we will not make that promise. We will promise to do what is right for Ranma or Ranko though. You are a friend, but I think of Ranko as almost another daughter. I will not make a promise that might result in her harm."

Akane's face drained of color, then she nodded in understanding. "Hai, I understand, I guess I need to get my temper under control."

"No, Akane you really don't understand," was Nada's surprising reply. "If you truly had a problem with your temper then others of your family would suffer also. Tell me, do you pound Kasumi or Nabiki?"

Akane flushed with anger, "of course not, I LOVE them." Realizing the implications about her feelings for Ranma from what she has just said, Akane slumped back down against the wall. "Oh, Ranma, I'm so sorry." Without another word she rose and left.

Her cousin Yuki who was ecstatic about finally having Nodoka and Ranma come visit with her family in Seattle warmly greeted Nodoka. "Please, don't worry about expenses, consider yourselves my guests." She continued, "this will actually really help me. You see my niece is also coming to stay with me. She's about Ranma's age but I was worried about her becoming homesick, but since she and Ranma are cousins, then maybe it won't be so bad." Yuki turned to look at Nodoka, "It would help me if you could help look out for her too. I teach World History and Mythology at the local university, so my day does get a little long sometimes."

Nodoka smiled, "thank you. It would be my honor to help any way I can."

"Is Ranma going to enroll in college too?" asked Yuki.

Nodoka turned a measuring eye on Ranma, "hum, you know, that is an idea. It might help keep him occupied and out of trouble."

With a feeling of immanent panic, Ranma blurted "but this is a training trip. I was planning on studying martial arts, not book stuff."

Yuki winked at Nodoka as she spoke to Ranma, "I'll make a deal with you. You go to school part time with my niece Michiko so that she will have kin close by to look after her, and I'll see if I can get my husband to take you on as a student. He is very good AND he has connections to other martial artists who are also superb."

"Bu, b but" Ranma looked over at his mother expecting her to intervene at any moment and demand his compliance 'for honor's sake'.

But Nodoka remained silent except to remark. "You are now a young man. It's your life and your decision."

Ranma's face stilled as he absorbed his mother's words. Then he straightened and bowed to Yuki. "It will be my honor and pleasure to do as you have asked."

Yuki turned to Nodoka, "you know, I think maybe he is older than I thought he was."

As Ranma turned to go outside, he heard his mother ask Yuki, "tell me more about your niece, her name was Michiko I think you said?"

Yuki chuckled, "Yes, Michiko Tanaka, she's my sister Nada's daughter. She's also a martial arts champion and will be studying under my husband. I wonder if Ranma is as good as she is?"

Neither noticed Ranma face-faulting in shock. _'Why am I not surprised? I just knew something weird was going to happen!'_

Midmorning the next day, Ranma finally got his mother alone. "Mom, there's a problem. Remember how I said I spent last year at a girls' boarding school and lived with the martial arts sensei and his family, and his daughter was my best friend then? Well, she's Michiko! They don't know about my curse and I'm afraid of how they will react if they find out!"

Nodoka shook her head slowly from side to side in disbelief. Yet somehow, given Ranma's life it made sense. "I remember you were afraid of how I'd react too. It added a couple of years of hurt to both our lives. Tell me, is she really a friend? Or is she merely someone you don't want to be embarrassed in front of."

Ranma thought about it. Then he looked at his mother with apprehension in his eyes. "I want to be honest with them. They took me in when I really needed a family and shared theirs with me. I can't lie to them again. Will you help me?"

Nodoka smiled proudly, "that's my son. Yes, I'll help. How do you want to do this?"

Ranma and Nodoka bent their heads together as they quietly discussed and refined Ranma's plan.

Several morning later, Yuki announced at breakfast, "My sister Nada and her family will be here before lunch. I can hardly wait to surprise them when I tell them that you are going also!"

Ranma shook his head, "Yeah, it's gonna be a surprise for sure." He muttered to himself.

Nodoka was near the door when the Tanaka's arrived. Yuki started to introduce her when Ranko ran out of the kitchen, placed a pot at her mother's feet and then embraced Michiko.

Nodoka wryly announced, "I am your cousin Nodoka Saotome, I believe you have already met my daughter Ranko."

"Dau . . daughter?" Stammered Yuki, "bu . . but I thought you only had a son."

Kenji and Nada looked at Ranko and Michiko and then looked at each other before merely nodding to each other. Meanwhile both Michiko and Ranko were hugging each other and crying for joy.

"Oh Michi, I'm so very happy to see you again. AND WE ARE COUSINS, oh that's so neat." Ranko bit her lip and stepped back, "You were all so good to me. I owe you an apology for not being honest about myself." With that she stepped back in front of her mother.

Nodoka had already picked up the pot, as she poured the hot water on Ranko she said, "I would also like to introduce my son Ranma to you." No one noticed as Yuki fainted away.

The Tanaka's gasped collectively but then intently studied Ranma and smiled at what they saw.

Puzzled, Ranma and Nodoka looked at each other, then Nodoka concluded, "they already knew!"

Kenji grinned, "since yesterday when Akane showed up looking for Ranko and then got doused with the sprinkler system. Once we saw her cursed form, she came clean and told us all about herself, Ranma and his life." He walked over to Ranma "you've not disappointed me. Your ethics ARE strong."

Michiko came up and took both of Ranma's hands, "I forgive you for keeping this a secret. I think that if we had found out any earlier we might not be friends and I am really glad we are friends." With that she hugged Ranma. Ranma hesitated for only a moment before hugging her as well.

Nada was looking after her sister Yuki. "yes, it really happened. What do you mean you can't believe it. You are the expert on mythology and you are the one who taught me about Jusenkyou. Don't you believe what you teach?"

Nada looked over at Ranma, "Ranma, would you demonstrate it once more for my sister please?"

Michiko gleefully asked, "can I do it for you, please?"

Ranma smiled his assent but he was inwardly wondering if he was now doomed to become family entertainment.

Cold, hot, cold, hot but finally Yuki was convinced. As she wandered back to her room, they could hear her murmuring to herself, "if this is true, what else in mythology could be true too?"

Ranma bowed to Nada, "sensei, I became your student under false conditions. I am sorry but I felt trapped and chose the easy way out. I am ashamed of that."

Nada looked at him haughtily, "I will not discuss this with you. Send Ranko to me when she is ready to face her sensei."

Ranma's face drained of color but he immediately went into the kitchen and shortly thereafter Ranko emerged.

Ranko bowed to Nada, "sensei. . ."

Nada cut her off, "Oh that's right, Ranko, thank you for reminding me. I do have responsibility to you as your sensei and we will have only about a week before you and Michiko go to the States. Both of you come see me tonight for additional lessons." Then she leaned over and kissed Ranko on the forehead before turning to follow her husband to their room.

Ranko stood there shocked. Nodoka leaned over and hugged her from the side, "she forgives you and acknowledges you as a girl, Ranko." She whispered.

Ranko turned her smiling face to her mother, "I know, it's so neat to be accepted for who I am." She sighed.

A little later Kenji came out and caught Ranko's eye. He motioned her outside where they sat together at a table. "We will be here for only about a week, Ranko. Nada and I discussed it and we would like to get to know Ranma during that time. I know you are one and the same, but I also understand that there are some differences in the apparent personalities. I would like understand Ranma better. Is that OK with you?"

Ranko smiled and nodded, then she walked around the table and hugged Kenji, "thanks sensei, somehow I'm beginning to believe I might just survive this madness a little while longer now."

A bit later, Michiko and Ranma were in the family dojo sparing, at least Michiko was but Ranma was avoiding instead of responding. Michiko was getting very frustrated and finally yelled at him "Darn you, treat me as a person not as a girl."

Ranma backed away, "Michi, I'm sorry, but I just can't bring myself to hit a girl." He said it with almost a panic stricken face.

Kenji had been watching from the sidelines. He walked over and looked Ranma in the eyes, "is my daughter somehow dishonorable, beneath your touch?"

Ranma's became angry, "Don't you put words in my mouth like Akane does. That's not what I said. I said that a guy shouldn't hit a girl. That's why I can't spar with her."

Kenji looked at him a few minutes more then abruptly drop kicked Michiko against the wall where she lay unconscious. "So for the sake of your feelings of macho pride, Michiko is prevented from learning how to defend herself against guys. I've got news for you, it's likely to be guys who attack her instead of gals. A father can teach this only so far." He turned and picked up his daughter, the lesson was over for the day.

That evening, when Ranko and Michiko met with Nada, Ranko apologized to Michiko "Michi, I . . I'm sorry, I'll spar with you for real tomorrow. I was so focused on not hurting you in training that I didn't see that I could be causing you much more hurt in the future."

Michiko smiled down at the cute red head, "some of dad's lessons come pretty hard. I'm glad you'll help me. I would much rather get hurt a little in training if it can prevent me from getting hurt for real later."

Nada smiled somewhat grimly, "an excellent concept. Let's use it tonight." She pulled out a pot of hot water and offered it to Ranko. "Michiko needs practice and confidence in actually attacking a guy and you need to develop some skills defending against this type of attack."

Ranko looked at Nada with a sense of foreboding and thought to herself _'maybe I'm not quite as forgiven as I thought.'_ Ranko sighed and dumped the hot water over herself.

Michiko got lots of practice and gained a great deal of confidence while Ranma barely started to develop a defense. Fortunately Nada didn't allow Michiko to practice some of the more painful techniques. But it was a good start for both of them. The next day, Ranma began to train Michiko on how to defend herself against a male martial artist without using her mother's techniques. He was gentle but relentless. Michiko landed on the floor hard more than once.

After the practice, Michiko walked up to him and hugged him. "Thank you for caring enough about me to do this for me." She then whispered in his ear, "I hope to do the same for you tonight when we practice with my mother." She chuckled with an undercurrent of mayhem.

Ranma grinned and began to relax. He had gained a little more understanding about himself and friendship. He was also more confident about his relationship with his cousins.

As they sat around the table talking that evening, Yuki asked Nodoka, "Nodoka, it's really been fun watching Michiko and Ranma practice. Are you going to teach them your specialty? You have been keeping up with your martial arts skills haven't you?"

Ranma's jaw dropped, _'his mother was a martial artist?'_

Nodoka blushed, "I'm not as good as Genma was, but all those years that I spent trying to find him and Ranma weren't entirely wasted. I turned them into training journeys also as much as I could."

Kenji asked, "what is your school?"

"Kendo" she replied simply.

Kenji looked at her a moment, then smiled, "cousin, I challenge you to a kendo match."

Nada frowned, "Kenji, I know you were the captain of your high school kendo club but that was over 2 decades ago."

Kenji drew himself up, "So? I do still practice with the boken. Besides, I'm curious as to just how good she is."

Michiko grinned, "I'll go get a couple of boken." She yelled as she ran back toward the dojo.

Nodoka looked horrified, "bu . . but, how in the world did I get dragged into this?"

Ranma suddenly smiled, "come on mom, you've been after me to share stuff about myself. Isn't it time I got to know something more about you too?"

Nodoka shook her head but turned to look over at Kenji, "I'll get you for this, see me in about 20 minutes in the dojo. I've got to change into something more appropriate."

About 30 minutes later, Nodoka entered to dojo. Instead of the traditional kimono that she usually wore, she was dressed in a sleeveless pale green sheath dress that was cut on the sides to her hips. A matching pair of trousers could be seen underneath as she walked.

Kenji and Nodoka faced off. Kenji smirked, "I promise to go easy on you."

Nodoka returned a grim but humorous smile, "I, on the other hand, do not promise to go easy on YOU."

Michiko gave the signal to begin and both boken flashed almost instantly into action.

Kenji was immediately on the defensive and found himself unable to block all of Nodoka's attacks. He accelerated his attack and attempted to overpower Nodoka's skilled attacks. This was an error he quickly discovered as she merely responded by increasing her attack level and scored even more hits on his rear end or head. These seemed to be her only two attack points.

Kenji suddenly broke away. "Let's try that again." He said as he tossed the boken away after rubbing his head and rump momentarily before noticing the giggles from his wife and daughter.

He once again engaged in sparring with Nodoka but this time used the 'roasting chestnuts' technique learned from Ranko. Surprisingly, he was only able to hold his own. He was neither hit again nor was he able to break through Nodoka's defenses.

Abruptly he broke away again. This time he bowed to Nodoka. "I recognize a peer in the martial arts. I ask that you train my daughter in this skill."

Michiko looked at Ranma, "could you beat her?"

Ranma glanced over at Michiko, "yes, but I will never prove it. Not against my mother."

Nodoka walked over to Ranma and whacked him over the head with the boken, "son, I challenge you."

Ranma looked into his mother's eyes but before he could respond he heard Michiko whisper "how can she teach you if you will not participate?"

Ranma thought a few moments before rising and bowing to this mother, "I accept only on the condition that I face you as Ranko. That way we both have the handicap of attacking a close female relative."

Nodoka grinned, "Oh, and the fact that Ranko is so much quicker than Ranma has nothing to do with it?" She waited a few moments before smiling, "OK."

A few moments later, Kenji handed a boken to the still wet Ranko. Ranko accepted it, looked at her mother and then tossed it aside. "No thanks, it's not my type of weapon, I'll go with what I understand." With that she set up a child's art set. Taking out some paints, she spread a little of each color on each of her fingers. Holding up her hand, she showed Yuki and the Tanaka's the paints. "I refuse to hurt my mother. I will use the paint on my fingers to record the hits, but that is a far as I will go in this demonstration."

Ranko faced her mother and waited for the signal to start. She knew that her best chance not to hurt her mother lay only in totally focusing on this contest. Slowly the dojo and the Tanaka's faded from her awareness. She only seemed to see her mother. When Michiko gave the signal, Ranko seemed a blur of action. Surprisingly, Nodoka was only slightly slower. After a nearly unseen series of feints and attacks, Ranko abruptly broke away as she lifted up her hands to show that they were now clean of paint.

The Tanaka's sat in awe as they looked at Nodoka. Her face, and only her face was a patchwork of color. Every color was shown several times, indicating that Ranko had scored at least 20 hits.

Nodoka walked into the hall and looked into a mirror. She whispered, "how, how did you do that? I barely felt anything and I know I didn't score on you even once."

Ranko came to her mother and hugged her. "I'm sorry mom." She seemed on the verge of tears.

Nodoka shrugged out of the hug. "You have nothing to be sorry for. That was fantastic! But how did you do it?"

Ranko saw the pride in her mother's eyes and responded exactly as only Ranma could have. "I'm good mom, I'm really, really good."

Nodoka laughed and hugged Ranko, "yes, yes you are really a very good girl."

Before the week had ended, the Saotome's had become as close to the others as if they were one family and both Michiko and Ranma's training was becoming increasingly more intense and satisfying to both.

The evening before they were to leave, Ranko and Michiko were sitting underneath the stars together. Ranko was watching the stars, Michiko was watching Ranko. Gradually Ranko became aware of Michiko's gaze and turned to her. "huh? Why are you watching me?"

Michiko smiled sadly at Ranko, "I was just remembering all the stuff that Akane told me about your fiancées. I was thinking about how easy it would be to fall in love with you Ranma." She reached out and hugged Ranko, "Ranko . . . no I mean Ranma, I promise that I will love you as my friend and cousin. I promise that I will not fall in love with you any other way. I make this promise for the sake of our friendship and our mutual future happiness. I know we aren't destined to be together and I don't want any girlish fantasy of mine to mess us up. Is that OK?" She asked as tears gathered in her eyes.

"Thanks Michi" murmured Ranko. "I hated to admit it but since we've been spending more time together with me in my guy form, I was afraid of becoming too close to you. It seems self-centered to think that it could happen, but it has happened too many times for me not to worry about. Ranko hugged her close, I . . me, Ranma or Ranko, whatever, I love you already as a sister. I love you almost as much as I love my mother."

Michiko smiled, "thanks Ranko, that's a whole lot."

The flight from Tokyo into SeaTac was an evening flight, and the plane made its approach as the sun dawned.

Yuki talked with her husband Chuck, but it took several demonstrations to convince him that Ranma's curse was real. It was decided that Ranma would train and help in the dojo in his normal form but it would be as Ranko that Ranma would go to school so she could better accompany Michiko. Yuki used her position as part of the University staff to get Ranko enrolled with Michiko.

Yuki took Ranko aside after the first day of classes. "So what do you think?"

Ranko rather nervously replied "about what?"

Yuki laid a hand on Ranko's shoulder to still the girl's fidgeting. "Let me guess, school isn't what you are interested in and probably don't have any skill in it either. Am I close?"

Ranko hooded her eyes but sullenly nodded, "yeah, and my mom isn't gonna like it either." She clenched her teeth and gritted out "I wanta be a martial artist. I don't need to learn all this other junk."

Yuki leaned over and suddenly stabbed at Ranko with stiff fingers. Not expecting the attack, Ranko resisted not at all. She felt a wave of pain over come her as she collapsed against her cousin and faded into unconsciousness.

It only lasted a few moments and when Ranko regained her senses, she jumped away from Yuki to stand in a defensive stance. Yuki merely looked at her, "why bother, your ignorance has already lost you the battle if there had been an actual battle." She continued, "Ranko, stupidity cannot be cured, but ignorance can. I will consider you to be stupid only if you remain willfully ignorant."

Ranko relaxed slightly from her guard position. "What did you do?"

Yuki smiled slightly, "Ranko, how effective at using the Katana would your mother be if she didn't know what it was. Suppose all she studied was the handle and ignored the length and sharpness of the blade."

Ranko snarled, "that's dumb. What's it got to do with what you did to me?"

Yuki shook her head, "I agree it's dumb, so why do you do it?" She grinned again, the light of a born teacher gleaming in her eyes. "Ranko, you study how to use your body as a weapon, yet you are almost totally and blissfully unaware of how it works. You don't know the wonders or the pitfalls of the functioning of your own body let alone the weak points that you can attack in someone else. That ignorance could easily cost you your life if you ever get into another battle like that with Saffron."

Ranko relaxed the rest of the way. "So what are you leading up too?" she asked.

"Ranko, I'm not saying you should become a doctor, but you should take some of the pre-med classes."

Ranko looked at his cousin as if she were crazy. "I did so poorly in high school that I couldn't have gotten into college in the first place if you hadn't arranged it. How do you expect me to pass these classes when I can barely understand English and don't even know what I really want?"

"Ranko, is this something you would want to do if you could?" asked Yuki softly.

Ranko looked up at Yuki as she resumed her seat next to Yuki. "Yeah. There is one martial artist that I've never seen defeated and he was always highly respected by all the others. Dr. Tofu didn't have to beat up on others to make his presence felt. I envied the fact that he was a martial artist who was doing good in the world instead of just competing against other martial artist for prestige."

Yuki breathed a sigh of relief that Ranko had chosen such an appropriate role model. "Despite your self doubts, it can happen, if you will let me help."

Ranko nervously shifted around again "What is it you want of me?"

Yuki grinned at the small red headed girl. "I've noticed that you are incredibly quick to learn martial arts materials. So I'm pretty sure that the smarts are there, it's just a matter of refocusing your attention. We need to convince your mind that learning this material is actually studying martial arts. At the same time, I want to look over your energy flows and make sure that none of your chi points relating to learning are blocked. If we can do both of those, I think school will be a snap."

Ranko looked at her cousin with disbelieving hope, "you're serious aren't you? Oh, man, I gotta go talk to mom about this." With that, Ranko almost seemed to vanish as she leapt to the nearest rooftop and quickly made her way home."

Nabiki wrinkled her nose in disgust at the smell of wet panda as she got home from school. '_Enough is enough_' she thought. She settled down and pulled out the recent food bills and snarled at the total. '_Higher than when Ranma was here too. At least Ranma brought in some income, even if it was unwilling photo shots_.' She pulled out the lease agreement, read it through a couple more times, then dialed a number. "Oh, Blunder-san, this is Nabiki Tendo, I was calling to confirm our arrangement. The truck will be here at 8 tonight? Good, I'll have him ready. You do have a copy of the health and dietary requirements? Yes, that is right, nothing but bamboo and make sure the water is always cold. He really has a bad reaction to even warm water."

Nabiki wandered into the kitchen where Kasumi was busy preparing supper. "Hi sis, what's on for tonight?"

Kasumi smiled, but didn't pause as she worked, "Oh ramen, rice and pork buns for all and a special dish of teriyaki for Mr. Saotome" as she pointed to a large bowl nearly ready to serve.

"Perfect" murmured Nabiki. She waited until Kasumi's back was turned and then emptied a small vial of sedative over the teriyaki_. 'A little won't hurt anybody, a lot will knock his lights out_, _and I can count on him to take a lot_." She thought.

Nabiki kept an eye on Genma after supper. As soon as he started to yawn, she got up and asked him sweetly, "Uncle Saotome, will you do me a favor please. I left something in the alley, would you help me bring it in?"

Reluctantly, very reluctantly, Genma rose unsteadily and walked with Nabiki outside and around the corner into the nearest alleyway. There he saw a large cage with a box along the back wall. "It's that box over there" said Nabiki as she pointed into the cage.

As he moved into the cage drunkenly, Nabiki unhurriedly closed and locked the cage door and went back into the house. Genma looked at the locked cage door but couldn't focus on the problem. As he picked up the box, it came apart and opened to scatter fresh bamboo shoots as a pail of water splashed onto his head. The large panda collapsed on the floor of the cage and absently nibbled on a couple of sticks before nodding off to sleep.

The next day he woke in a special zoo like facility devoted to the care and study of endangered species. It afforded no opportunities for escape even by a skilled martial artist and the staff took great care to observe the special health instructions. Nabiki used the lease funds to pay off family debts and make some needed repairs to the dojo.

Akane fumed, _'where the hell was Ranma?_' She turned to Nabiki, "I tried searching for Nodoka but I haven't found her. Besides, I really don't think Ranma would have dared to go see her." She shook her head in anger, "I'm glad we got that list of relatives from Mr. Saotome before he vanished too. I wonder where he went. And he didn't even say goodbye!"

Nabiki put a calming hand on Akane's shoulder, "relax, I'm sure that Mr. Saotome had something useful to do. Let me take a look at the list of Ranma's relatives. Maybe my contacts can come up with something."

A week later, Nabiki sat down next to Akane at the table. She tossed a notebook in front of Akane, "nope, there's no sign that Ranma's living with any of them and I had them all checked all except for the distant cousin living in Seattle. I found a few more relatives too, but that didn't help."

Akane opened up the notebook and idly turned the pages. Suddenly she stopped and the color slowly drained from her face. Nabiki asked, "Akane, what's wrong, tell me, did I miss something?"

Akane nodded, "yeah, but you wouldn't have known about it." She pointed to a newer entry, "Ranma and I spent our last school year with them. Their daughter, Michiko, is not only Ranma's cousin but one of Ranko's best friends as well. She's studying in the States. What do you want to bet that that is where Ranma is too?" she asked lifelessly.

Nabiki wordlessly went up to her room. The next day she set a copy of an e-mail message before Akane. Akane glanced at it curiously, computers weren't something she was familiar with. She noticed that it seemed to be in two parts. The first was a simple message from Nabiki to someone named Yuki asking how Michiko and Ranma were enjoying their visit. The appended reply was an enthusiastic endorsement that the two were having a great time going to the university together.

"I don't believe it! That idiot is actually going to college! And here I haven't even graduated yet." Akane stormed. "Why does he have to keep running away?"

Nabiki replied, "yes, why is it that Ranma does HAVE to run away sis?"

Akane glanced coldly at Nabiki when she heard the emphasis that Nabiki had placed in her question. Nabiki's eyes were cool, steady and absolutely serious as she waited for Akane's reply. Akane's glance fell as she sighed, "because I drive him away. No matter how hard he tries to become my friend, to put some feeling in our engagement, I end up driving him away. And I don't know why" she said as she put her head down on the table and begin to sob as she had not done in years.

Yuki greeted Michiko and Ranko as they came home, "I got an e-mail from Japan from someone who knows you. I already replied but would you like to send her back a reply too?"

Ranko and Michiko looked blankly at each other, "e-mail? Who?" Michiko finally asked.

Yuki looked at the screen of her PC. "Nabiki Tendo, hum, that is somebody you know isn't it?"

"Ah" sighed Ranko, "Akane's older sister, a 'master of information gathering'. Somehow I'm not surprised that she located me."

"Located you?" asked Yuki. "Were you hiding?"

"Yes and no" Ranko shrugged. "I didn't tell them where I was going after they suggested that I should quit freeloading and leave. But on the other hand, I haven't made an effort to keep it secret either. Doesn't matter anyway now as I'm pretty sure they will leave me alone for awhile especially since mom is here too." Ranko paused in thought for a few moments before adding. "Yeah, If you will show me how, I think I would like to send a message back to the Tendos. I really didn't say goodbye this time either."

The next morning, Nabiki rushed into the dining room "Kasumi! Akane! Ranma sent us a message!" As the others gathered around she read "Hello all. I am doing well and cousin Yuki is helping me learn how to learn. My grades are good so far but she still has to help me a lot with my English. How is pop? I go to school as Ranko so that Michiko and I can easier spend time together. She is my cousin too. Usually I am in guy form as I help teach at Chuck's dojo. He is helping both me and Michiko learn more martial arts. I train with Michiko so she can defend herself if she needs to. Sorry I left without saying good-bye again, but I was hurting too much. Bye, Ranma "

Chap 2 : Second half of this chapter to deal with Akane learning about curse. Finally coming to grip with her feelings about 'men' [?] So how does she finally perceive herself? I've left it open both ways for Ranma to this point.

Chap 3 : After Ranma learns how to learn and wants to, 'mama' dragon 'kidnaps' him just after finals because he is having trouble mastering his new aura. She takes him to 'dragon-land' where he goes to school for [?] years learning 'real magic', true mythology and medicine (Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic, and modern medicine) but using 'time' properties between the two lands, he is gone only a month on earth. Becomes lover with Ukyou who refuses to marry him. Ok with mama dragon as she only worried about marrying off Ukyou's cursed form to a male dragon. Introduce a few to Ranma.

Chap 4: Meanwhile, all his suitors and (Kuno? Genma, Nodoka, Nabiki & Michiko Tanaka) all set out to rescue him. Yuki identifies place as mountain near Jusenkyou. Focus on conflict between them and reversal of role (rescuing Ranma). What will each do to become 'heroine'. Dreams of earning Ranma's 'undying' gratitude [could be fun to reverse stereotype images, say female knight, fainting prince in tower, etc]

Chap 4: Ranma is returned to earth (where rescue party is as a joke by mama dragon) a few days after they arrive {would she stage a fake castle etc where Ranma was being held, all perhaps without his knowledge?, yeah, I like that idea.} chapter closure tho is that after all the dust settles [a few days later], Ukyou tells him that it is his turn to raise their twins (conceived just before Ranma left, but he didn't know about this). Twins 'little Beau & Peep' [boy & girl] are now ten years old. Ukyou says that she is marrying Ranma's dragon friend and the kids now need their dad. [Ranma is now about 30 and Ukyo is about 55, but both have received blessing of fountain of youth spring and both appear to be teens still.]

Chap 5 : Ranma asks fiancées who will adopt his kids and raise them with their own if he should marry them. Shampoo no, amazon pride. Kodochi give me a break. Kuno ? gone, he's hauling ass as he finally realizes what's happening. {Perhaps Michiko should be a participant, a contestant in the background who sorta sets the upper standard.} Nabiki learns that Ranma is now fully trained physician and also actively competes for Ranma's hand. Akane wins ? Actually, I see Nabiki winning after Akane loses temper once too often. What does she win? This Ranma is older, more experienced and trained in interpersonal skills, so how does an unsuspecting Nabiki fare against Ranma's enhanced negotiating skills?

**_Assuming Akane wins_**:

Chap 6 : Akane's courtship of Ranma [he's leaning toward Michiko after Nabiki fouls out, who eventually and secretly begins helping Akane] as he is pretty reluctant about Akane, remembering their past. Even though she has changed a lot, she can't seem to trap him. But does eventually.

Maybe she gets him drunk and pregnant. Yeah I think I like that idea. I could [plagiarize] adapt an idea from "Of mothers, of fathers" by Lord Archive for the discovery/announcement part.

Or maybe I could use the idea outlined below.

Chap 7 : Wedding, Ranko has boy [cursed because both parents were in cursed form during conception ?] Ranma passes tests for Dr. license, he and Akane also set up dojo business, Akane also has kid see material below [cursed too ? Why not ].

.o0o. .o0o.

**_Material not presently used : (but it does contain ideas for future chapters)_**

Over the summer break, Akane slowly realized that she had fallen in love now that she finally understood Ranma's torment. She tried to trap him into proposing but nothing seemed to work until . . . Ranma's big mouth did it for her.

One particularly trying day, Ranma in frustration at the marriage pressure yelled to Akane, "No way I would ever marry you like this. I swear that the only way I would ever marry you would for me to be the bride and wear the dress myself."

"OK! I agree!" Akane quickly assented before Ranma can collect his wits again.

Unfortunately for Ranma, the entire episode had taken place before their whole family. All of whom quickly yell in unison, "heard and witnessed."

"NOOOO" yelled Ranma, "you don't understand. It was an exaggeration that meant that I would never marry her! Not that I would marry her."

Akane leaned over and looked up in his face, "tough. That wasn't what you promised. Now I get to see if Ranma Saotome's word is any better than Genma's."

Akane refused to let him wiggle out of any particular of his oath. They were going to be married as Mr. & Mrs. Tendo instead of Saotome and Ranko WAS going to wear a dress.

Shampoo showed up at the wedding but after seeing Ranko in her dress she simply shook her head and began to laugh as she sat down to watch the ceremony. Ukyou was maid of honor while poor Ryouga was 'best man'.

The wedding went well and even Ryouga took a turn dancing with the bride. "Ranma, you had better be good to her . . . " was about all he could say to Ranko.

Ranko smiled hesitantly up at Ryouga, "she wants me bad enough to do it this way. I think Akane and I will be good for and to each other from now on." As the dance ended, Ranko, quickly kissed Ryouga on the cheek, "for good luck" she said.

Ryouga was stunned. But then smiled and shook his head, "I never could keep up with Ranma. Even now he's . . . " he paused a moment as he looked over at the radiant bride "even now she's changing too fast for me to figure out."

Soon the Wedding celebration ended and evening approached. The newlyweds had fled to an undisclosed location and Ukyou in dragon girl form stood guard before their door.

Akane-kun was looking over at Ranko. He grinned, putting all the leer 'he' can muster into it. "I've been reading some marriage manuals. This is going to be an interesting evening, wife" he chuckled.

"Now wait a minute" began Ranko "no way am I going to be the girl tonight. NO WAY."

Akane-kun smiled to himself as Ranko dodged into the bathroom and locked the door. She thought to herself, 'Ranko is in for a surprise.'

"NOOOOO" yelled Ranko, "there's no hot water!"

Akane-kun merely hummed to himself as he settled down to outwait Ranko.

An hour later, Ranko slowly opened the door. "Akane, can't we talk about this?"

For an answer, Akane-kun merely patted the bed and said "OK sweety, come sit here my pretty little redheaded wife" he teased.

Ranko blushed but sat on the bed. As Akane-kun started to speak, Ranko's eyes fluttered and her face seemed to focus adoringly on Akane's. Akane-kun's heart began to pound and her carefully planned words become a stutter. "Ranma . . . I mean Ranko, since I . . . we got married. . . I mean . . . well . . . as the guy, I'm the top . . . I mean I'm the head of the househo . . . DAMMIT RANMA QUIT FLIRTING WITH ME!!"

Ranko started giggling. "The curse does change more than the body. Or maybe I should say that changing the body also has certain imperceptible affects on the mind as well. I learned that there was a difference between guy and girl hormones and how I react to them, so I'm way ahead of you there. In fact, I'll bet you don't even know how to handle male 'lust'; sometimes the body responds despite the brain's intentions." Ranko grinned mischievously "it might be fun to see just how crazy I can drive you."

Akane-kun suddenly surrendered, "I'm sorry I was teasing you like that Ranma. Please don't, I don't really want to find out, please." He reached behind the bed and pulled out two thermoses and handed one to Ranko.

Ranko looked at the thermos, leaned over and kissed Akane lightly. "I think life with you is going to be interesting." She picked up Ranma's pajamas and padded into the bathroom.

A few moments later Ranma emerged and bowed Akane toward the open bathroom door. Akane picked up the other thermos and the wedding nightgown that had been carefully concealed from Ranma and shut the bathroom door.

An hour later, she emerged into a darkened room. There was a single candle on the table, a bottle of cold champagne and two glasses. As she approached, Ranma poured and handed her the first glass. Taking the second he said, "here's to the cutest girl I ever met my 'husband'" and kissed her.

Somehow they never did taste the champagne, their lips were far more intoxicating.

.o0o. .o0o.

Epilogue:

.o0o. .o0o.

Nine months later, "Ranma, AS soon as I have this baby, I'm going to KILL you." Akane gritted between her teeth as another contraction came. "I'm . . . "

Hours later, mother, daughter and father were enjoying their first quiet moment as a family. "Ranma, please hand me that basin, she's drooling already. NO, be careful don't spill it. . . now she's all wet and that's cool water. Here, change her diaper now that you got her all wet. Odd, I didn't think her hair was that red. What do you mean she's a BOY. I really am going to kill you I swear. Jusenkyo was all YOUR FAULT!"

**_Assuming Nabiki wins_**:

Chapter 6 : Nabiki wins by abandoning strategy and having a face to face, heart to heart talk with Ranma, nothing held back, all her cards, feelings, hopes and self-doubts on the table. She promises unconditional love. Ranma doubts her sincerity and casually says 'he'll believe her when & if she willingly curses herself'. Casual words meant to hurt and push her away. She interprets it as a condition for her winning and does exactly that. Ranma accepts 'his' proposal that Nabiki makes before their family after splashing both of them to trigger their curses [and reveal hers]. Adapt material above for proposal and wedding night.

Chap 7 : Wedding, Ranko has boy [cursed because both parents were in cursed form during conception ?] Ranma passes tests for dr. license, he and Nabiki set up dojo business, Nabiki also has kid, see material above [cursed too ? nah . . . maybe ?].

.o0o. .o0o.

Author's note: Additional Ranma fan-fiction can be found on my Web Pages.

C & C to cloud dreamer

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